| Abstract: |
The archaeological evaluation was undertaken on behalf of Otter Valley Dairy under an archaeological condition attached to the grant of planning permission for the construction of an ice cream parlour including a café, retail, office and making area, and a new access and associated works. The site consists of a single field, laid down to pasture. It is located to the west of the A30, north of the village of Monkton, and in an area of archaeological potential. A number of extractive pits, associated with known Roman and later iron production industry, have been identified in the immediate vicinity and across the surrounding landscape. In addition, medieval and later activity is recorded the County HER in the form of findspots in a nearby field and dating from the 12th century onwards A simple deposit sequence of top- and subsoil overlying natural subsoil (up to 0.6m deep) has been confirmed along the western edge of the site, but the total removal of this material within trenches 3, 4, 5 and 6 has failed to reveal any evidence for buried archaeological features or deposits. Elsewhere, the results have been very consistent, with deep modern made ground deposits identified directly above natural subsoil within trenches 1, 2 and 7, suggesting that the eastern edge of the site has been heavily disturbed by works associated with the straightening of the A30. The lack of pottery and lithics from the site, despite examination of spoil heaps, further indicates that the potential for significant archaeological survival is low. |
