Devon Archaeol Soc Proc 49

Excavation at the supposed Roman camp at Bolham, Tiverton, between 1981 and 1986, proved the site to be that of a single-ditched turf and timber fort. Total excavation of the west gate showed it to have been completely rebuilt and remodelled at some time during the period of use of the fort. The likely nature of the superstructure of the gate is discussed. A good assemblage of imported and Romano-British pottery allows the occupation of the site to be dated between c AD 65 and c AD 85--90. A significant quantity of worked flint was retrieved both from residual contexts in the fort levels and from primary pre-fort deposits. This material, together with a small quantity of pottery of Bronze Age character, suggests occupation of a domestic character dating to the earlier second millennium bc. Mesolithic material was also present. Specialist reports include `Prehistoric activity at Bolham' by A G Brown (57--61), `Samian pottery' by Brian Hartley (61--7), `The Gallo-Belgic imports' by Valery Rigby (67), `Mortaria' by Kay Hartley (67), `The coarse pottery' by Neil Holbrook (67--77), `Intaglii' by Martin Henig (77--9), a section detailing other stone artefacts, `Glass' by J Price (80--1), copper alloy `Brooches' by D F Mackreth (81--2), other copper alloy objects, lead and ironwork, `The examination of iron smelting and smithing residues and related material' by Paul Budd (86--9), details of other metallurgical debris, `Pollen analysis' by J Hatton (92--4), and finally `Bone' by Sue Browne (95).

Pollen analysis of a small peat deposit found during the course of excavations at Aller Farm, near Stockland, provides evidence of land use during the first millennium AD. Continuous land use during this period, and possibly as late as the Norman period, may be inferred. The nature of the agriculture included the cultivation of cereals, especially towards the latter part of the period, but with a possible emphasis throughout on pastoralism. The analysis of such small, isolated peat deposits demonstrates considerable potential for expanding our understanding of lowland land use in areas with extremely sparse palaeoenvironmental records.

The large parish of Heavitree near Exeter contained some ten churches and chapels during the Middle Ages. This article discusses when, where and why they appeared, and what is known about their popular support. Confusion has arisen about two chapels in the parish, St Clair and Livery Dole, which have been wrongly equated with one another. St Clair is identified as a distinct medieval chapel for the first time, while Livery Dole is found to be absent from medieval documentary sources and is provisionally dated to the late sixteenth century.

A hitherto unrecorded alignment of small cairns, lying between two larger cairns, is described. No close parallels to the monument are known.

Describes a gold ring bearing tau cross inscription and gothic lettering interpreted as the legend nul si bien [none so good].