West Yeo Farm - Page 6

Page 1 - April 2009 - Society visit to West Yeo Farm - link
Page 2 - June 2009 - Geophysical survey, Pond Meadow and garden feature - link
Page 3 - July 2009 - Fieldwalk of New Close - link
Page 4 - October 2009 - Fieldwalk at Long Park - link
Page 5 - March 2010 - Earthwork Survey and Planning, Causeway - April 2010 - Geophysics survey Pond Meadow: barn, cottage site, feature opposite quarry - link
Page 6 – Spring/Summer 2010 – Excavation, gradiometry training and Fieldwalking Long Park - link
Page 7 - Spring/Summer 2011 - Excavatons
Page 8 - Autumn 2011 - Excavations - link

WORK AT WEST YEO FARM, SPRING/SUMMER 2011

Interim Report

Following the discovery of a small wall in the garden south of the farmhouse in 2010, we returned to the site in April 2011 to establish if the wall continued in the direction of the meadow, and to examine possible features in the meadow which showed up on geophysics results as areas of high resistance (i.e. possible wall).

Members old and new took part in excavating, new members and volunteers were trained in excavating techniques, recording (using context sheets and drawing), surveying, washing finds etc.

April:

Two 5m x 5m trenches were opened by mechanical digger under the supervision of Chris Preece, professional archaeologist and member of NDAS.

The mechanical digger quickly revealed some heavy flat building stones aligned East-West at the north of T5, and some more natural looking flattish heavy stones placed side by side at the south end of T5, so mechanical work was stopped. Any further excavating to be done by hand.

Chris Preece supervising opening of T4 in the garden.

T5 in the meadow, large stones appearing after soil removal by mechanical digger.

Trench 5:

Work included straightening and cleaning back sections, measuring depths, taking levels using the dumpy level surveying equipment, washing finds on site. Starting plan drawing of stones/features revealed. A total of 15 members worked hard over 5 days to excavate out T5 in particular, moving a large amount of overburden soil, clearly dumped, with a mix of ND pottery (post med, internal glaze), a large amount of heavy bottle glass, including some bases, and 19th century pottery/ceramics. The area of heavy building stone in the north of T5 was trowelled and started to reveal 2 possible walls, one substantial, wide, wall running straight N-E (F5(4)) into the N section towards the garden and terminating S with a broken end (?robbed out wall), and the other slightly curved, butting up to it from E-W at the same level, a possible retaining wall with no inner face (F5(2)) seemingly containing a hard clay surface. A posthole was revealed in the north section of the trench within F5(4), and filled with dark soil including charcoal. The posthole was recorded, photographed, and the fill removed. It was noted this posthole was of similar dimensions to modern fence posts close by.

There was a layer of hard clay with no finds within the retaining wall north of T5(2) -possible floor surface? The NW corner of T5 revealed tumbled stones in a dark red soil with evidence of burned material and voids. Heavy amount of ND pottery/glass finds in this area.

Posthole in north section of T5, through wall surface F5(4).

Trench 4:

Soil left by the digger was removed and the sections cleaned. The small wall revealed in 2010 (F407) was uncovered (it had been covered by terram and loose soil) and trowelled – another large flat stone on the top of the wall was exposed.. It was noted that there were two cuts into the west section, one contained large stones and was probably the old garden wall (modern) discovered in 2010, the other cut through the ash bonfire layer and was probably a continuation of the small ditch found in 2010 running E-W across the garden. Trench 4 was lightly trowelled across the whole surface and photographed.

Finds: Glass/ND pot/bone fragments. A round sandstone rubbing stone.

T4 cleaning and surveying levels.

Trenches were covered with weed proof membrane for our return in June.

June:

Trench 5: was cleaned off as cattle had trampled the surface (trench unfenced).The clay lens retained by curved wall F5(2) was cleaned – several small pieces 13th – 15th C pot found. Clay surface very hard. Light orange silty clay flecked with charcoal. Central section of T5 revealed thick glass bottle ends, and 19th century ceramics. The curved wall (F5(2)) revealed at least two courses, clay bonded. There was a small infill wall (appeared to be a step F5(24)) in the junction between the two walls, with a row of small flattish stones packed on edge along the front, either for support or decoration. It was suggested this might be a later garden feature.

F5(4) running NW/SE revealed a substantial wall, faced both sides, with some large building stones on the eastern side, possibly rubble filled. (?building foundation wall). The centre of T5 contained tightly packed medium stone rubble, some with rounded edges, possibly redeposited cobbles. The eastern section had softer/damper soil. Plan drawing started. NB: A lot of flat, thin, light green glass was found in T5, also sherds of 13-15C pot, v. gritty, unstratified. Finds: pieces of large, dark green bottle and bottle bases, ND glazed pot, ceramics, 19thC pot. Bone.

East T5, both walls visible with curved 'step'/garden wall at the junction.	North T5 showing flat stones to south east corner.
North Close up of front (S) of wall F5(3) and 'step'.	T5 cleaning back.

Trench 4: West revealed layer of small tightly packed stones adjacent (west) to the wall (F407). East section contained modern concrete pillar base, with mix of old handmade brick, pot and glass, also bone. Also a curved line of large stones set diagonally close to eastern section, running towards NE. (This may have been the cause of a circle of high resistance shown on the geophysics earth resistance survey.)

Large black bottle base. Exposed more of wall, with larger long flat stones E-W across coursed wall of small stones. Cleaning of north end of T4 revealed a patch of hard clay (yellow/orange) at Eastern end (?natural). Bright orange clay revealed between wall and west section, with darker soil next to wall. Beginning to look like foundation ditch for wall, with clear definition between soil colours. Very little finds. Wall now revealed as “bridge” with two small coursed walls, and large stones across the top, with gap underneath. Possible drain or vermin trap? Wall in same alignment as that in T5 but offset.

North

T4 wall revealed: note soil colour changes to East.

T4 wall: note cut of foundation ditch to West into natural clay

T4 looking North West: orange clay pad to North East, curved line of large stones to South East.

Trench 5: A series of small stake holes ( some triangular) appeared in south section, within clay soil - noted on drawing. One contained dried remainder of small stake. More flat stones appearing in SW corner, all at same level. Slump of small stones in SE corner removed, with more flat large stone underneath. Bright orange clay (natural ) revealed in NW corner. Wall edge F5(2 )revealed at least three courses.

Photographer from local newspaper North Devon Journal arrived to take photos of members on site.

Very dark soil?burning/old vegetation underneath smaller stones in central area, plus area of black burning on southern edge (SE) and going under section. 1 flint microlith and 1 piece of charcoal found. (black soil context 513).

The clay layer in the central section was removed, showing more dark soil underneath, 1 more stake hole with black stake in situ.

Trenches photographed, and left open, farmer agreed to erect fence around meadow site to keep out cattle.

July:
Over a period of 8 days, 12 members were joined by 5 students (some studying archaeology) and 3 volunteers. A mixture of weather, starting out very hot and sunny when the earth was baked hard, and several days where torrential overnight rain filled areas of the trenches with water and they had to be baled out in the morning, making trowelling impossible.

Trench 5: Two walls now clearly visible, with a small infilled feature between the walls – possibly a step or garden feature, filled with dark soil and the remains of a tree/plant. This area originally had a line of small stones packed on edge, along the curved frontage. This was all removed and exposed more large flat stones running underneath, up to and under the main walls. The area of hard clay fill behind the retaining curved wall was taken down about 7 cm, with no finds. It is assumed this may have been a floor and was left to see if it extends further north into T4.

Removal of soil from “step” before small packing stones removed from frontage.

After removal of overlaying small stones (old cobbles in clay soil) centre trench south revealed a bright orange clay strip with some large stones beside (east) running N-S in alignment with standing wall, probably the line of the wall before being robbed out. Several postholes – one each side of this strip. Area of very small hard packed stones in west lower portion of T5, to west of orange clay band. Find: bell-shaped thick ND pot artefact with hole through centre, purpose unknown. (SF No.48). It was thought this area might be the possible yard surface. Examination of Tithe map shows old boundary wall in this alignment, with yard identified on map. Find: small strip of copper alloy metal found, plus small buckle. Black flint scraper (SF No.37 found at end of wall F5(4 ).

Clay bell-shaped pot from T5, possibly a spout from a large water container(?).

South East area of T5 now showing larger area of flat stones, in a band running NW-SE with small stones vertically packed in beside – appearing to be a path or gulley. Also south section of T5 revealed an area of firm, hard packed v.small stones, possibly circular area, in which is a dark soil ?pit feature next to S section, with three new postholes. Query? Prehistoric floor surface.

Black ?burned patches noted all over T5 – but no lumps of charcoal - explanation may be burned thatch - all seems to be “inside” the wall features.

Plan drawing updated to include yard surface, line of robbed out wall.

North

T5: Walls revealed, large stones to SE corner.

West

T5: Continuation of robbed out wall shown as orange band, yard surface to left of picture.

T5 close up of clay ?floor within retaining wall.

T5 Junction of walls, with “step” removed, showing flat stones underneath and burned soil to east.

T5 looking south west, note large flat stones to east, hard area centre south with black ?pit in south section, orange clay band N-S, possible yard surface to West.

Trench 4: Fill of foundation ditch next to wall removed, to look for dating evidence. Contents of fill: dark soil including white glazed ceramic and green glazed pot. Various post holes appearing in clay pad and area of darker earth north of trench, one large, possibly modern posthole from old fence. Section E-W to south of trench removed overburden and 2010 redeposited soil. No large stones exposed, no finds. Mostly dark brown soil mixed with small stones. Clay pad with small charcoal flecks, sectioned and level taken down, east to west, also removing brown soil with stones. Postholes starting to appear. Two flint flakes found (Mesolithic). Removed soil from gulley of bridged wall. Note: a vertical stone was placed at end of gulley as a terminus, resting on a padstone. Section drawings of south section and west section undertaken by student.

Colour changes noted in soil in southern section running E-W. Strip of orange clay E-W with dark soil beside. Possible cut features. Dark soil around eastern edge of wall.

T4 showing orange band running E-W in lower section, with dark soil beside going into S section beside wall.	T4 cleaning back clay pad.
T4 looking South West. Clay pad in foreground, postholes appearing. Wall excavated.	T4 looking west.
T4 close up of wall with central gulley excavated.	Top shot of gulley; terminal stone vertical at end on padstone.

Started 2m x 2m test pit in meadow in alignment with T5 to establish if areas of high resistance on geophysics results continue westwards.

Trenches photographed and covered with membrane until next visit in August.

Note on finds: a large amount of post medieval North Devon pot, much of it thick, coarse, with internal lead green glaze, also pots with thinner rims, white and coloured ceramics, 19thC blue/white etc..Across T5 in particular, a substantial amount of thick heavy green bottle glass sherds and heavy bottle bases with pontilles. Some identified by Kevin Shaddick as Bristol , 1770-1780, one onion bottle neck and base Bristol 1715-1720. A quantity of very thin flat pale green glass (?window glass), heavy door nails. Volcanic building stone imported from the Crediton area. 13th-15th century sherds of pot, (orange or salmon pink, very gritty). Mesolithic flints, rubbing stones. Finds recording ongoing, next visit to site: 13 and 14 August 2011, 17 – 19 September 2011.

Derry Bryant
July 2011