Excavations at Rack Street, Exeter 1977-78 (Exeter archive site 64)
Cotswold Archaeology, Exeter City Council, 2015. https://doi.org/10.5284/1035201. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © Exeter City Council unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
Andrew
Pye
Principal Project Manager (Heritage)
Exeter City Council
Civic Centre
Paris Street
Exeter
EX1 1NN
England
Tel: 01392 265 224
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 2031
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1035201
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
From September 1977 until January 1978, the Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit undertook an excavation on the site of the Central Primary School adjacent to the previous Rack Street site of 1974-75. The site was later acquired for housing.
The site fronted onto Rack Street and encompassed much of the area of the playground to the south-west of the school building at SX 919923.
A number of deep sewer trenches of comparatively modern date cut through all levels into the natural subsoil on the major part of the site with resulting damage to the stratigraphy. Remains of the post-medieval, medieval and the Roman civil periods, including a late Roman building and a street, were recorded overlying the Roman military deposits. Four ditches of the Roman military period at Exeter (c AD 55/60 - c 75/80) were identified. Two of the ditches were clearly defensive in nature and were associated with the Roman legionary fortress. Traces of the innermost ditch were first encountered at about 24.6 metres above Ordnance Datum.
