Gwithian, Cornwall: Excavations 1949-1969

Henrietta Quinnell, Anna Lawson-Jones, Jacky Nowakowski, Joanna Sturgess, Carl Thorpe, Charles Thomas, 2007. https://doi.org/10.5284/1000200. How to cite using this DOI

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Citing this DOI

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https://doi.org/10.5284/1000200
Sample Citation for this DOI

Henrietta Quinnell, Anna Lawson-Jones, Jacky Nowakowski, Joanna Sturgess, Carl Thorpe, Charles Thomas (2007) Gwithian, Cornwall: Excavations 1949-1969 [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1000200

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Primary contact

Jacky Nowakowski
Historic Environment Service
Cornwall Council
Kennall Building, Old County Hall
Station Road
Truro
TR1 3AY
UK
Tel: 01872 323604

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Resource identifiers

Digital Object Identifiers

Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are persistent identifiers which can be used to consistently and accurately reference digital objects and/or content. The DOIs provide a way for the ADS resources to be cited in a similar fashion to traditional scholarly materials. More information on DOIs at the ADS can be found on our help page.

Citing this DOI

The updated Crossref DOI Display guidelines recommend that DOIs should be displayed in the following format:

https://doi.org/10.5284/1000200
Sample Citation for this DOI

Henrietta Quinnell, Anna Lawson-Jones, Jacky Nowakowski, Joanna Sturgess, Carl Thorpe, Charles Thomas (2007) Gwithian, Cornwall: Excavations 1949-1969 [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1000200

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Photograph of Bronze Age pottery

Overview

The Gwithian archive comprises a large assemblage of inter-related documents, drawings, photographs and finds which were created during a long campaign of archaeological fieldwork directed by Charles Thomas at Gwithian, Hayle, Cornwall from 1949 to 1969. The archaeological work undertaken at Gwithian produced results of national and regional significance and was one of the first landscape projects carried out in the county.

The Digital Archive

The digital archive comprises all files generated in electronic format generated during the course of the ALSF project, and for which permissions have been granted for deposit:

Unique codes were given to each site or archaeological intervention. The codes equate to different scales of archaeological fieldwork and investigation from field survey, sampling through to section recording, trial pit and/or large excavation. The codes identify the site and form the main link between the material, documentary and graphic archives. The following list comprises all sites recorded as part of the Gwithian project and are presented in alphabetic order.

Site CodeDescription
AFMaterial some from Gwithian, sectioned by the implement Petrology sub-committee of the SW Federation of Museum and Art galleries (cf, eg PPS 38 (1972), 235-275 ).
BZMesolithic site - cliff-top exposure of Mesolithic land surface
CARWINRB camp at Carwin surveyed in 1956 (mobile team 17th April 1960).
Cliff SectionQuaternary section by mobile team 24th March 1958.
CGCrane Godrevy: RB enclosed site and medieval settlement
CMCallean farm: Memmoan Field. (Dense) Mesolithic flint scatter
CPCarwin Camp: RB site- surveyed
Fishing CoveCollection of flint beach pebbles as sample
GBGodrevy Barrow: preserved Mesolithic floor and BA barrow- excavation
GBNSection behind tractor barn, Godrevy farm: Mesolithic layer
GEGodrevy exposure: Bare face on hillside 100 yards NW of GW Limited investigation.
GFGodrevy Field. Shallow cuttings to test date of vestigal banks downhill of site Crane Godrevy in 1966. No definite date - probably medieval
GGNMesolithic material from GBN, spread by National Trust on Godrevy Green.
GHCode used twice. Godrevy Hillside: IA/RB site excavated in 1958 in fields SE of Crane between Pencobben and Godrevy head. Also survey in 1963 of IA/RB field systems on Godrevy Headland
GJSupposed late house site by hedge between town and farm (downhill W from Crane Godrevy): Possible post- medieval feature (18th-19th cent.date) by mobile team 7th April 1958
GKTop of Garrack: Above DMV of Negosias ruined medieval site- survey and surface collection only
GLWGodrevy Lower Weeth. Surface collection of Medieval and post-medieval finds in 2004- possible site of medieval farm buildings.
GM/ASite associated with GM/I to the west of the GM/I cuttings Post Roman/Early Medieval 1955
GM/BSite associated with GM/I to the west of the GM/I cuttings Post Roman/Early Medieval 1955
GM/CSite associated with GM/I to the west of the GM/I cuttings Post Roman/Early Medieval Unexcavated
GM/DSite associated with GM/I to the west of the GM/I cuttings Post Roman/Early Medieval Unexcavated
GM/ESite associated with GM/I to the west of the GM/I cuttings Post Roman/Early Medieval 1955
GM/IGwithian stratified homestead with middens: Main Post Roman/Early Medieval site
GM/IIStones on hillside north of centre of main 1960 grid: wall on N part of GM/X. Later superseded by GM/X cuttings 30 plus modern feature
GM/IIIHorseshoe-shaped bank north of 1960 camp, sectioned in 1954 and found to be modern. Later superseded by GM/X cuttings
GM/IVProbable industrial site NE of GM/I- excavated, 1956 Post Roman/Early Medieval
GM/VMBA site, assumed to be a barrow, later revealed to be part of BA landscape dug completely in 1955
GM/VICode used twice: Stone pillar on Garrack dug in 1956=NN period unknown. Also subsidiary site of GMI excavated in 1954 Post Roman
GM/VIICode used twice: Former trial cuts on GM/I 1955 - all part of GMI Post Roman/Early Medieval. Also site of single cutting to the east of GMV excavated 1954 (location unknown) BA
GM/VIIIFormer trial cuts on GMI 1955 - all part of GMI, later became part of GME Post Roman/Early Medieval
Main Bronze Age Sites
GM/IXArea south centre of 1960 main grid, layers 3 and 5 BA
GM/XMain MBA to LAB site layers 3 and 5, centre of 1960 grid
GM/XIMound (and later area) north west part of 1960 grid (also includes GM/XII and GM/XIII) BA
GM/XIIMound, north west part of 1960 grid (when excavated, renamed GM/XI) BA
GM/XIIIMound, north west part of 1960 grid (when excavated, renamed GM/XI) BA
GM/XIVMound, south west part of the same BA
GM/XVArea comprising eastern six squares of 1960 grid, layers 7 and 8 houses BA
GM/XVIA circular earthwork (ditched enclosure) sectioned in 1963, NE from GM/XV, layer 5? BA
GM/XVII GM/XVIII and GM/XIX,Codes not used
GM/XXArea south of GM/XV Post Roman large rectangular field- excavated
GM/XXIField, area of ridge and furrow some way west of GM/X Post Roman and Medieval- surveyed and excavated
GM/XXIIMidden in seasonal pond north of GM/1 Post Roman- excavated
GM/MSite: geological cutting 30/6/1960 to 07/07/60 to find the main Mousterian beach by mobile team in 1960. NW of site GM/I.
GM/Y(or 'Y') Cutting across raised land to NE of GM/I mound Post Roman (mobile team 2nd April 1960).
GO=GWGodrevy outcrop: wall about 25 yards north of rifle butts. Replaced at once by code GW BA
Godrevy FarmExtant Farm building survey by mobile team 3rd April 1958.
GPGodrevy Pond: Flints from Godrevy pond: possible Palaeolithic and early Mesolithic deposits
GRRaised beach section at GT/ Mesolithic finds, GR not used
GRRPost-medieval? 7 cuttings excavated by CCRA in 1977 of a wall next to the Rifle Range butts.
GTCode used twice: Porth Godrevy, RB excavated site and Gwithian clifftops, exposure in cliffs- Mesolithic(considerable linear scatter)
GUExposed surface site, Mesolithic former Caravan Park in NT carpark. Probably same land surface as that recorded at BZ and RR.
GW=GOGwithian wall: outcrop of wall 25' N of rifle butts, BA: sectioned.
Gwithian GreenSurvey of whole green by mobile team 4th April 1958
GYThe Gilly, Weeth, Camborne: 1950-1951, flints and pebbles from a drainage trench - Mesolithic flint scatter
HeMHell's Mouth. Exposed surface site, Mesolithic in eroded path to Hell's Mouth.
HUHudder field area: finds: Dense Mesolithic flint scatters - potential occupation/activity site and Neolithic, and BA barrow site
HU/NENE area of Hudder field, 2003, Dense Mesolithic flint scatters - potential occupation/activity site
HU/SSSouthern area of Hudder field, 2003, Mesolithic flint scatter,
HPMesolithic, BA and Medieval 'Hockins Pit', generally known as OLS/HP.
KYKynance field, Godrevy farm, now set-aside: Mesolithic ?scatter
MYAbandoned code for GMXVI, Aug 1963 BA
NCMesolithic and Neolithic surface site found by HJ Berryman in 1990; 2 north cliff fields.
NDEnd field at New Downs opposite HU/SS, surface Mesolithic flint scatter
NEPre-1990 code, now (2003) coded HU/NE, NE corner of Hudder field, Mesolithic
NE/O1989 Outcrop surface, outside HU/NE on cliff path: Mesolithic flint scatter
OLSOld land surface, including Hockin's pit, NE of SL: Mesolithic, BA, Post Roman, and Medieval - see also OLS/HP,OLS/WE.
PBMedieval or Post-medieval parish boundary bank south of CG, excavated.
PCPencobben cliff field, surface: Mesolithic flint scatter and Medieval
PEPencobben cliff fields and fields around house: Mesolithic flint scatter and Medieval
PEH (or PH)Pencobben, hillside, field below house: Mesolithic flint scatter
PSPencobben, Sandy Ground field: Mesolithic flint scatter
PTPhillack Towans: Mesolithic, BA, IA and Post-Roman surface site (mobile team 6th April 1956).
RDReskajeage Downs, clifftop E of HU and ND; BA Barrow site in 1957 (mobile team 18th April 1957).
RDKKieve mill, Cuttings Hill, Reskadinnick, SWW pipeline 1998:
RRRed River, steep bank on low cliff edge on north of river, near BZ and GU: Mesolithic stratified scatters Mesolithic
SLSandy Lane, site of Conarton, middens: RB, post Roman and Medieval
Trevoryan RoundMeasured plan of IA?RB site by mobile team 31st March 1958
Trevarnon RoundMeasured plan of IA?RB site by mobile team 1st April 1958
ULSite on path at Knavocks, found by Urs Leuzinger 1985: Mesolithic probable scatter
WEWheal Emily, Gwithian Towans, minor surface exposures of Mesolithic flints, RB and possibly Post Roman
WGWithy Garden or Conerton hundred-pound, on Gwithian Common: Medieval
YCutting across raised land to NE of GM/I, see under GM/ sites. Same as GM/Y Post Roman
GM/AA to GM/ZZRegister of stone finds
Project reports

Full drafts of a selection of publications produced during the course of the project can be accessed from the downloads page.

  • Nowakowski, JA. 2005: Archaeology Beneath Towans. Excavations at Gwithian, Cornwall 1949-1969. Updated Project Design. Design for assessment, analysis and publication. An HES report to English Heritage.

This report is accompanied by a series of specialist tables and figures as CSV and PDF files. Please note that the download version of this report does not include sections 11-15.

  • Sturgess, J. and Lawson-Jones, A. 2006: Bronze Age Gwithian, Revisited. Archaeological Excavations between 1956 and 1961 in Cornwall. An HES report 2006R067. Vols I and II, Truro, Corwall.
  • Sturgess, J. and Lawson-Jones, A. 2006: Crane Godrevy, Revisited. Archaeological excavation of the enclosure ditch between 1956 and 1969 in Cornwall. An HES report 2006R066, Truro, Cornwall.
  • Sturgess, J. 2004: The Gwithian project, Summaries and evaluations of enumerated sites. An HES report 2004R069, truro, Cornwall.
  • Nowakowski, JA., Sturgess, J. and Lawson-Jones, A. 2006: Gwithian, Cornwall. Report on Palaeoenvironmental sampling fieldwork Scheduled Monument Cornwall 771. Report no. 2006R042. An HES report to English Heritage, Truro, Corwall.
  • Sturgess, J. and Lawson-Jones, A. 2006: Post-Roman Gwithian Revisited. Archaeological Excavation beteen 1953 and 1958 in Cornwall. An HES report 2006R072. Vols I and II, Truro, Cornwall.
  • Nowakowski, J. 2007: Excavations of a Bronze Age landscape and a post-Roman industrial settlement 1953-1961, Gwithian, Cornwall, Assessment of Key Datasets (2005-2006). An HES report 2007R017. Vols I & II, Truro, Cornwall.
Image Gallery

The digital archive contains a small selection of images, presented here as Portable Network Graphic (PNG) files. Copyright of these photographs is retained by the Gwithian Archive and Cornwall County Council Historic Environment Service (Joanna Sturgess, Jacky Nowakowski ,Carl Thorpe, Charles Thomas, JVS Megaw, Ian Cossar).

  • Bronze Age images: A selection of site photographs and artefacts from the main Bronze Age sites in the survey area
  • Crane Godrevy images: detailed photographs from the Romano-British enclosed site and medieval settlement at Crane Godrevy.
  • PR images: a selection of photographs used to promote awareness of the site.
Project Database

Finds database for the main Bronze Age and post-Roman sites - created by the project team as part of the finds audit in 2003 - can be accessed as a series of CSV files from the data downloads page.

Project GIS

The dataset was produced in order to create phase maps containing all the sites in the Gwithian area mentioned within Charles Thomas' Gwithian archive and is copyright of Cornwall County Council Historic Environment Service. The datset uses the following Geographic Co-ordinates: British National Grid W156800 E163730 N43540 S39450. The data can be can be accessed as a zipped archive from the data downloads page.

File NameAttribute TableDescription
gwithian_archive_pointsSITE_NAMESite name
 SITE_CODESite code (e.g. KY=Kynance field)
 PRNProject Number (if applicable)
 PERIODArchaeological period. Codes used are as follows: ME= Mesolithic NE=Neolithic BA=Bronze Age IA=Iron Age RB=Romano-British EM=Early Medieval MD=Medieval PM=Post medieval
 EVENTWork carried out, for example excavation
Total Station Survey Data

Contains surveys of the main Bronze Age Sites, the post-Roman sites, Crane Godrevy (CG), Porth Godrevy (GT), Godrevy Pond (GP) and Godrevy Barrow (GB). SAM OS plan contain survey overlying OS Landline. The data can be can be accessed as DXF files from the data downloads page.

File NameDescription
GMxviia original survey.dxfSurvey locating site GMXVII, tied to Gwithian 1 survey
GodrevyB survey.dxfSurvey locating site GB Godrevy Barrow
GT survey.dxfSurvey locating sites GT Porth Godrevy and GP Godrevy Pond
Gwithian 1.dxfSurvey locating main Bronze Age and post-Roman sites and Crane Godrevy
SAM OS plan.dxfSurvey locating main Bronze Age and post-Roman sites and Crane Godrevy overlying OS Landline

Non-digital Archive and Publications

Hard copies of the paper and finds archive will be placed at:

  • Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro, Cornwall

In addition to the reports contained within the digital archive the project also produced the following outputs:

Publications / Academic papers
Nowakowski, J.A. 2006: Life and Death in a Cornish Valley, British Archaeology 89 July/August.
Nowakowski, J.A. forthcoming 2007: Living in the Sands - Bronze Age Gwithian, Cornwall, Revisited, in Land and People; papers in honour of John G Evans, Prehistoric Society Research Papers.
Nowakowski, J.A., Quinnell, H., Sturgess,J., Thomas, C. and Thorpe, C. forthcoming 2007: Title to be confirmed. Summary article on the Gwithian Archive Project for publication in Cornish Archaeology.
Lectures / Presentations
Revisiting Bronze Age Gwithian - 50 years on. Paper at conference: Bronze Age Forum, University of Southampton 13th - 14th November 2004
Living in the Sands - Gwithian, Cornwall, revisited 50 years on. Paper at Conference: Cornwall Archaeological Society and Devon Archaeological Society Symposium Tavistock October 2005.
Living in the Sands - Bronze Age Gwithian Revisited. Paper at conference: Land and People conference, Prehistoric Society and University of Cardiff conference 24th - 26th March 2006.
Meetings / Technical Forums
Gwithian the Archive: Archaeology beneath the Towans. The Gwithian Excavations 1949-1963 Historic Environment Service (projects) - powerpoint for Project team held at HES offices, Truro on 28th October 2003
Gwithian the Archive: Archaeology beneath the Towans. The Gwithian Excavations 1949-1963. The Finds Archive - powerpoint for Project team meeting held at HES offices, Truro on 28th October 2003

The Archaeology Data Service (ADS) do not hold any further information regarding these non-digital outputs, any queries should be directed to the depositor.

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