Otter Farm, Colaton Raleigh. Archaeological Watching Brief (OASIS ID: acarchae2-164277)

An archaeological watching brief during groundworks associated with the construction of a new stock building and excavations for an electricity cable trench and new farm access track on land at Otter Farm, Church Road, Colaton Raleigh, Sidmouth, Devon, was undertaken by AC archaeology during September and October 2013. A previous geophysical survey of the site had identified a substantial D-shaped enclosure immediately to the west of the main area reduction for the new stock building. Other weak linear and discrete anomalies were also identified. Works comprised the removal of overburden to expose natural subsoil within the area of the new stock building, excavation of a service trench to the west and southwest of the new stock building and removal of topsoil along the route of a new farm access track through fields approximately 0.5km to the north of Colaton Raleigh. Parts of the D-shaped enclosure, identified by geophysical survey, was exposed in a service trench to the west of the main area and recorded as a substantial ditch c. 3.5m wide and 2m deep, possibly dated to the Middle Bronze Age by pottery recovered from the fill. Three internal features were also exposed and recorded. A series of small discrete features were also identified during ground reduction for the new stock building, with many of these naturally formed.