Sherford New Town, Land north-west of Harestone Farm, Yealmpton, Devon. Archaeological Evaluation (OASIS ID: cotswold2-323807)

In May and June 2017, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation of part of the proposed site of the Sherford New Town development, Yealmpton, Devon. One of the primary aims of the evaluation was to further investigate a circular enclosure ditch detected previously by a geophysical survey. The evaluation confirmed the presence of the enclosure ditch. There was evidence for a former internal ditch-side bank. There was no evidence for further internal features, although only a small part of the enclosure's interior was sampled by the evaluation. The enclosure ditch had two openings: one on the ditch's north-eastern edge and one on its southern edge. Seven postholes and a shallow ditch were recorded within the northern opening. Middle Bronze Age radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dates were obtained from the fills of the circular enclosure ditch and two of the postholes. Early Bronze Age radiocarbon dates were obtained from the fills of one of the postholes and some probable root disturbance within the northern opening. The almost complete absence of artefacts from the enclosure ditch and the associated features suggests that the enclosure was not a domestic feature. The true function of the enclosure is uncertain at this stage. The absence of an internal mound indicates that it was not a barrow. The presence of an internal (rather than external) bank and the Middle Bronze Age date suggest that the enclosure is not a henge.