Land East of Penns Mount, Vicarage Hill, Kingsteignton, Devon: Archaeological Excavation

A single excavation area (0.49ha) located in the northern portion of the development site was opened and covered the known extent of the Roman enclosure within the proposed development site. The excavation areas were located to investigate features recorded by the previous geophysical survey and trial trench evaluation. A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in May to August 2021 at the request of Tilia Homes Ltd at land east of Penns Mount, Vicarage Hill, Kingsteignton, Devon. An area of 0.49ha was excavated within the development site. The northern half of a rectilinear double-ditched enclosure dating to the Romano-British period was uncovered, containing an undated well and a single undated pit. This is described in this report, but also placed in the context of information recovered during the excavation of the adjoining southern portion of the enclosure excavated by AC Archaeology during 2016, which awaits publication. The two enclosure ditches were probably contemporary and the earliest dating evidence suggests occupation during the 1st-2nd centuries. Both ditches were subjected to later recutting, with datable material from the later 3rd century onward present in the inner ditch. The pottery predominantly consists of local coarsewares, but there is a small but significant group of 1st-2nd century AD finewares, and similarities with contemporary assemblages in Exeter and the immediately surrounding area. The charred plant remains were sparse, although there were dumps of marine shell in the inner ditch. Radiocarbon dating of a crop drying oven excavated during the AC Archaeology investigation indicates that it was in use during the 6th and 7th centuries AD. The recutting of the enclosure ditches is therefore also considered in the light of their being this episode of early medieval use of the site. Later agricultural activity and seen in a series of lynchets and furrows across the site evidence is interpreted as of medieval/post-medieval date.