LAND BETWEEN RYDON ROAD and TREWYN ROAD, HOLSWORTHY, DEVON RESULTS OF AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION

In 2022, The archaeological excavation was conducted in accordance with the Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) (Boyd 2022) drawn up in consultation with the Local Planning Authority and in line with CIfA guidelines (2014) and best practice. A sub-rectangular area orientated approximately north-east to south-west and measuring c.75×35m was laid out using a Leica dGPS in field F5. It was opened by tracked mechanical excavator which stripped the topsoil and subsoil to the depth of weathered natural using a toothless grading bucket under archaeological supervision. Exposed archaeological deposits were then excavated by hand and in accordance with the WSI and CIfA guidelines. The excavation targeted the features in evaluation trenches #13 and #13a, the possible ring-ditch features of Iron Age date. The work took place in August and September 2022. In 2020, Archaeological evaluation trenching was carried out by South West Archaeology Ltd. (SWARCH) on land between Rydon Road and Trewyn Road, Holsworthy, Torridge, Devon. The site comprises six fields located at the junction of Rydon Road and Trewyn Road, on a south-west facing hillside on the edge of Holsworthy. Previous archaeological assessment, including geophysical survey suggested that the current field boundaries and usage have changed little since the early 19th century, with evidence of former bank and ditch features likely to have survived below ground. Most significantly, the presence of a probable prehistoric round-house with internal features was identified, indicating that some of the identified anomalies pre-date the existing field-system. The evaluation identified a total of 29 features, many of which are likely to be medieval or post-medieval in date and relating to phases of field-system, land drainage and services. Few of the features produced dating material, those that did predominantly producing post-medieval artefacts; with a small assemblage of post-medieval artefacts recovered from the topsoil. A total of four archaeological features were identified, broadly validating the results of the geophysical survey and evaluation trenching. Two phases of roundhouse structure, represented by intercutting penannular gullies, were located and excavated. No internal postholes were identified, but it is likely to have been post-built; only the more substantial, deeper features seem to have survived. Both phases of the roundhouse produced pottery, a reasonable amount of later Middle Iron Age (1st centuries BC and AD) material being recovered from ring-ditch/dripgully 1503, with a similarly dated sherd from ring-ditch/drip-gully 1519. A radiocarbon date of 162 cal BC - 17 cal AD for the earlier structure confirms the dating of the pottery. The recovery of Iron Age pottery during the evaluation suggests that there was a contemporary field system. The Later Middle Iron Age Iron Age roundhouse appears, based on the associated survey work, would appear to be an isolated feature in this landscape. However, that impression is very much an artefact of the overall lack of fieldwork in this area, and - perhaps - the character of the archaeology itself. The presence of gabbroic pottery on the site indicates the settlement was part of a wider distribution network that stretched as far as the Lizard.