Land at Dunkeswell Airfield, Dunkeswell, Devon: Archaeological Strip, Map and Sample Excavation

An archaeological strip, map and sample excavation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in July 2014 at Land at Dunkeswell Airfield, Devon, whereby Areas 1, 2, 3 and 4 were machine excavated. The strip, map and sample excavation identified an extensive series of sixteen pits and a ditch within Areas 1 and 3, likely to have been excavated for the extraction of iron ore nodules which are known to occur within the natural clay with flint and chert, having been previously identified on sites elsewhere within the Blackdown Hills. These features remain undated. No archaeological features or deposits were found within Areas 2 and 4. Area 4 was extended approximately 1 metre west within the north-west of the trench in order to fully investigate a linear feature found within. The linear feature was identified to be a modern land drain. The Site had recently been ploughed and a suspect Second World War UXO was identified approximately 10m east of Area 3. The suspect UXO was identified as a non-explosive practice bomblet and deemed safe for removal and removed safely by Royal Navy Bomb Disposal Unit Plymouth.

2014年7月，科茨沃尔德考古事务所（Cotswold Archaeology）在英国德文郡邓克斯韦尔机场地块开展了考古条带发掘、测绘与取样发掘工作，对1、2、3、4号区域实施了机械发掘。本次考古工作在1、3号区域内发现了共计16处坑穴与1条壕沟的大型遗存组合，这些遗存大概率为开采铁结核矿所遗留——已知铁结核矿赋存于含燧石与玉髓的天然黏土中，此类矿层此前已在布莱克当丘陵（Blackdown Hills）的多处遗址中被探明。上述遗存目前尚未确定年代。2、4号区域内未发现任何考古遗存或堆积层。为彻底探明探沟西北部一处线状遗存，工作人员将4号区域向西拓展了约1米，该线状遗存经确认属于现代农用排水沟。该遗址近期曾被翻耕，工作人员在3号区域东侧约10米处发现了一枚疑似二战时期的未爆炸军械（Unexploded Ordnance, UXO）。经确认，该疑似未爆炸军械为一枚非爆炸型训练小炸弹，经评估可安全移除后，由普利茅斯皇家海军爆炸物处理小队完成了安全移除作业。