Digital Archive from an Archaeological Watching Brief at St Clare, Penzance, Cornwall, July - September 2023

This collection comprises images, GIS and site record data from an archaeological watching brief at St Clare, Penzance, Cornwall. Work was carried out by ISCA Archaeology during July to September 2023. The watching brief recorded a significant level of archaeology that had not been expected based on earlier field evaluation, in that the evaluation exposed only a small number of archaeological features across the site, which were undated but probably largely relate to a long history of agricultural use. The subsequent watching brief within the two areas of the site identified a total of around 30 archaeological features (including natural features which contained artefactual material) dating from the Bronze Age, through to the modern periods. Well-defined occupation evidence included a substantial enclosure ditch of Bronze Age date, Iron Age activity, including ditches and a sub-circular gully, possibly relating to either a round house or an animal stockade/pound. Later, early medieval activity was identified through a number of ditches and two corn-dryers. Post-medieval and modern activity was noted as ploughing activity, and the construction of a later Victorian ceramic drain, along the line of an earlier leat which feed Penzance. A number of further features were also identified but remained undated.