Series: Substrata unpublished report series

This report was commissioned by AC Archaeology Ltd. The work was undertaken in accordance with a Brief provided by the Devon County Council Historic Environment Team. The results from an earlier 2014 survey have been incorporated into the current report. The magnetic and earth-resistance responses across the survey areas were sufficient to be able to differentiate between anomalies representing possible archaeological features and background magnetic responses. A number of anomaly groups were recorded that may reflect former garden features, paths and possible buildings

Client Poltimore Community and Landscape Project, Department of Archaeology, University of Exeter. Poltimore House is a Tudor House of the sixteenth century with many later additions and al-terations. It has had several uses, including a school, nursing home and hospital (HER 10156). The grounds in which the survey took place included a deer park mentioned in the sixteenth century and still extant in AD 1822 (HER 19787), an eighteenth century former lodge to the north-east of the house (rebuilt as Threepenny Lodge on the original foundations after a fire) (HER 29721), a mid nineteenth century stable block (HER 49339), elements of formal gardens attached to the house and the ponds and weirs of a former Chinese garden (HER 49340). Results summary A total of 141 magnetic anomaly groups were identified as representing possible archaeological deposits and features. A number of these anomaly groups enhanced and extended the evidence for changes to the landscape of Poltimore House provided by the Margary map of 1809, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 series maps from 1889 to 1905 and the Ordnance Survey 1:10000 series map from 1980. Evidence is presented in this report for magnetic anomaly groups pertaining to tracks, roads, enclosures, buildings, garden landscapes and a number of other potential archaeological features and deposits.

Magnetometer, resistance and ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys were completed to inform upon the buried remains at Barnstaple Castle. Evidence for the location, structure and demolition of Castle House (1684 to 1976) was recorded as was disturbance from the 1972-75 archaeological excavation that took place in this area between 1972 and 1975. Anomalies representing linear garden features, possibly associated with Castle House, and relatively recent service trenches were recorded. Some of the groups may be associated with earlier phases in history of the castle. Twelve distinct anomalies were recorded in the magnetometer survey which, given their proximity to known Anglo-Saxon burials, may represent graves from the same Anglo-Saxon cemetery. The Motte GPR survey data implied a relatively deeply buried sub-circular structure which may be part of the former donjon. Other radar reflections and resistance anomalies possibly representing several phases of building were recorded on the keep top. Both 19th century landscaping and defensive structures are likely represented. The tarmac carpark was formerly part of the outer bailey and was subjected to a GPR survey. The deposits beneath the tarmac were found to be highly disturbed by services, and by the construction and demolition of market buildings and earlier structures. In the south of the area several small structural elements such as bits of masonry and spreads of rubble were represented in the data. It is proposed that they are fragmented remains associated with the rear of lost burgage plots extending into the site from the south.

This survey was part of a programme of archaeological investigations at Countisbury Castle commissioned as part of the Unlocking Our Costal Heritage project. Countisbury Castle is an Iron Age promontory fort lies on a west-facing spur between the high sea cliff to the north and the steep sided East Lyn Valley to the south. Fifty-three magnetic anomaly groups and fourteen resistance anomaly groups were identified as representing possible archaeological deposits or features. Of these anomaly groups, the majority are thought to relate to former cultivation with field boundaries, strip lynchets and remnant ploughing patterns being provisionally identified. Resistance anomaly groups may represent a north-south trending archaeological feature at the western end of the promontory fort. Gradiometer anomaly groups seem to represent a sub-circular feature that is visible on Google Earth images. An archaeological origin is possible for such an anomaly group although a former quarry or natural feature cannot be ruled out. Magnetic anomaly groups and resistance anomaly hint at possible archaeological deposits or structures adjacent to the extant earthworks at the eastern end of the promontory fort.

This report was commissioned by the Dartmoor National Park Authority. The survey was designed to prospect the recently recorded Early Bronze Age stone circle and contribute to the understanding of the site and to inform its future management as specified in Section 2 below. Both the magnetic and earth resistance responses were sufficient to be able to differentiate anomalies representing possible archaeological features. Twelve magnetic anomaly groups and ten earth resistance anomaly groups were identified as possibly representing archaeological deposits or features. The magnetic anomaly patterns indicate that a linear feature, or possibly an interlinked set of pits, trending northeast-southwest glances the south-eastern edge of Sittaford stone circle. There is also some evidence to support the view that the gap at that point in the circle may have had stones present in the past. The resistance data seems to indicate the presence of a linear feature trending west-north-west to east-south-east through north-eastern side of the stone circle although further archaeological investigations would be necessary to determine whether this feature was of natural or archaeological origin. The resistance data also shows what could be a curvilinear sequence of earthen deposits and stony deposits on the south and west of the stone circle and mirroring the circles curvature. Anomalies possibly representing a pit and a stone or stony deposit were identified on the western side of the circle.

Magnetic anomalies that may represent three, and perhaps four areas of possible industrial or craft production were identified in the southern-most field of the survey area. There is a possibility that they represent saltworks. A further area of possible archaeological structures was identified in the northern-most field. A number of anomaly groups are thought to indicate palaeochannel straightening and related past drainage management. The remaining anomaly groups are mainly linear; some represent previously mapped field boundaries and tracks while others may represent fragments of ditches or other boundaries. One anomaly group representing a palaeochannel that may be a former course of the River Banwell marks a distinct change in sediment deposition which may have archaeological implications

The magnetic responses across the survey area were sufficient to be able to differentiate between anomalies representing possible archaeological features and background magnetic responses. Forty-four magnetic anomaly groups were mapped as representing possible archaeological features. Of these, one is likely to represent an extension of an extant field boundary. Six anomaly groups coincide with cropmarks mapped within Scheduled Monument 1021151 (legacy identifier 10384) and are likely to represent archaeological deposits and structures. One group may represent a cluster of archaeological features such as pits and/or large postholes. The remaining anomaly groups are relatively densely distributed and typical of anomalies representing former field, enclosure and other boundaries of unknown origin and likely of more than one phase.

This work was commissioned by AC Archaeology Ltd on behalf of clients. It is part of a programme of archaeological works undertaken in preparation for a planning application for a proposed residential development at the above site. The magnetic responses across the site were sufficient to be able to differentiate between anomalies representing possible archaeological features and background magnetic responses. Thirteen magnetic anomaly groups were mapped as possibly representing archaeological deposits or features. Seven of these represent former field boundaries mapped by the Ordnance Survey on and after 1890 and now removed. The remainder are typical of anomalies representing remnants of earlier fields.

This report was commissioned by AC Archaeology Ltd on behalf of Wessex Water and has been prepared as part of a programme of work in response to consultation with Wiltshire Council Planning Department in advance of construction of a proposed water supply main between the existing Wessex Water reservoirs at Earlsdown (NGR SU 18731 41340) and Camp Hill (NGR SU 11084 33692). The route of the proposed water main is 14km in length with an 800m branch into Boscombe. The proposals for the work comprise the majority of the route being laid using open cut construction with a working easement of approximately 20m. The magnetometer (gradiometer) survey was undertaken along sections of the proposed route as specified by Wiltshire Council Planning Department. The sections were divided into six, 30m wide survey areas as shown in Figures 1 to 3. The magnetic contrast across the survey areas was sufficient to be able to differentiate between anomalies representing possible archaeological features and background magnetic responses. Twenty-four magnetic anomaly groups were identified as pertaining to archaeological deposits or structures.

This report was commissioned by AC Archaeology Ltd on behalf of clients and has been prepared in support of a forthcoming planning application. The location of the proposed development area is shown in Figure 4. The magnetic contrast across the area was sufficient to be able to differentiate between anomalies representing possible archaeological features and background magnetic responses. Fourteen magnetic anomaly groups were identified as pertaining to archaeological deposits or structures. Of these, three groups coincide with field boundaries mapped by the Ordnance Survey in 1888 and removed sometime before 1936. Two groups may represent highly heated in-situ deposits that can be associated with, for example, former hearths, kilns, furnaces or cremation burials. One of these groups may have an associated stony deposit. One group represents a possible curvilinear deposit of unknown archaeological provenance. A group of parallel linear deposits are likely to represent former ridge-and-furrow ploughing. The remaining anomaly groups are most likely to represent linear deposits associated with more than one phase of former field and/or enclosure boundaries and which are not recorded on any Ordnance Survey maps.