Registered Charity No. 105565 NEWSLETTER 138 June 2015 Registered2014 Charity No. 1055654

Jane Stanley’s depiction of the dismantling of Nanstallon Roman Fort. The Trustees presented Jane’s painting to Val Maxfield on her retirement as President at the AGM.

CAS AGM 2015 – PRESIDENT’S REPORT by Professor Valerie Maxfield the retiring President.

This report summarizes the work of all of the Trustees who make up your very hard-working Committee : six main committee meetings have been held in the past 12 months, interspersed with the sub-committees and working parties required to keep Society events running smoothly. As I reported to you last year, Mick Aston, who died in June 2013, had named CAS as a beneficiary in his will. This legacy (£8,080.47) has now been received; it is in Society’s bank account and the committee is giving urgent consideration to an appropriate use for the money. This year CAS Trustees successfully nominated Pip Richards of the Sustainable Trust, director of the Carwynnen Quoit project, for the award of Heritage Champion presented by Heritage Trust in memory of Sir Richard Trant. [Subsequently, the Carwynnen team went on to win a second award, the CBA’s Marsh Award for Community .] CAS grant-aided this project in 2012, and a report on the work is to appear in Cornish Archaeology.

The RAI Anniversary Prize, which was displayed at last year’s AGM, now has its place in the RCM. MEMBERSHIP

Jenny Beale, our Membership Secretary, reports a slight upward trend in membership numbers; as of March 24th, there are 443 individual or joint members (Institutions are not included in this figure); there were 438 last year; 83 of these members have not yet renewed their subscriptions (68 in 2014). 36 new members have joined since the AGM last year (27 last year). Jenny has been our Membership Secretary for the past 12 years, but is now stepping down from the job (though happily not from the committee). As the major interface with you – the membership – and the first point of contact for new members to the Society, this is a vital role, and Jenny has fulfilled it LECTURES & DAY SCHOOLS centre at Stonehenge where we were efficiently and pleasantly, despite welcomed by Susan Greaney of English A very successful lecture series took place intermittent struggles with various Heritage, who fortified us with tea and this year, with six lectures in and problematic technologies! We are most cake whilst giving a talk about the four in with topics ranging from grateful to her for all the work she has developments at the site. It was wonderful mass graves to astronomical alignments, done on our behalf and welcome to see the monument reunited with its Cornish soils to Bronze Age beads, and a Konstanze Rahn as our new Membership landscape – a visit to Stonehenge is now geographical focus which took us around Secretary. a totally different experience. We are Cornwall, and from Leicester to Lebanon. grateful to Kathryn Conder, a stalwart of PUBLICATIONS All were well-attended, with those who the walks, whose photographs and reports went to the Liskeard lectures particularly This year we continued with our tried and have featured in several editions of the appreciating the fact that the conundrum tested editorial team of Peter Rose and Newsletter, for taking over from Steve as of how to turn on the heating in the Hall Graeme Kirkham, Cornish Archaeology Field Events Organiser. has now been cracked! Dr Richard volume 52, for 2013, was published in Buckley – who last year was prevented by PUBLICITY January: it includes articles on Boden illness from giving the AGM lecture – this fogou and the prehistoric settlement at Our ever-active Publicity Officer, year, instead, presented the Corfield Bosiliack. CAS members were heavily Christine Wilson, produces and Nankivell lecture on the same topic, ‘‘The involved in the excavations at both of disseminates advertising material for our King under the Car Park’; Greyfriars, these sites. Work is now well advanced on lectures and other activities which are Leicester and the search for Richard III’ – the preparation of volume 53, which will displayed as widely as possible – but we an exciting high-profile excavation project. include articles on the Romano-British are always looking for ideas of new places For the area reps evening, Peter Cornell, brooches from Nornour, the excavation of – and liaises with the press. Christine the Arena Reps’ Convenor, had the Glasney College in Penryn and the CAS also managed to get us a stall at the excellent idea of getting speakers at Truro excavations at Hay Close, St Stithians Show in July last year. to repeat their lectures at Liskeard. Jenny East. Beyond this there is still a large Moore, our lectures officer, would And then there is that other public face of backlog of articles which have been welcome hearing from the membership the Society, our website run by our web received by the editors and are in the what they would like presentations on – officer, Ryan Smith, keeping us up-to- queue for publication. and from whom, in the lecture series. Our date with the Society’s activities, hosting We are particularly grateful to Graeme warmest thanks to Jenny for organising for our ‘e’ journal and providing links to and who gives his time freely – and I mean us such a stimulating and varied material from like-minded bodies. It serves that in both senses of the word. For the programme, with speakers from near and as a most valuable tool for members and, last two journals he has refused to accept far. very importantly, for ‘visitors’ – among the customary editorial honorarium, them, it is to be hoped, prospective The biennial Archaeology in Cornwall wishing rather that the money be put members attracted by what is our ‘shop day was held at Truro College on towards protecting Cornwall’s historic front’. November 15th and was well attended. environment.. Christine Wilson had liaised with the Pressures of work lead to Ryan’s not While the back numbers of the journal can College very well, all ran smoothly and the standing for the committee for the coming now be consulted on line, we continue to catering was, as previously, excellent: year. Our warmest thanks to him for his get a small but steady income through the thanks also to Caradoc Peters, our on-site endeavours over what is an ever- Publishers Licensing Society, for library- contact, for his help. There was a good increasingly important aspect of the borrowing of our publications. range of subjects covered by the nine Society’s work. speakers, all of them from Cornwall All three Newsletters were produced on Our website has been running for some except for Bryn Morris and Duncan time and their appearance enhanced by years now, and a facelift is due. The Garrow, who talked respectively on the the increased use of colour. There have committee has decided to employ a Early Bronze Age site at Burnt House, been articles by members about their professional designer to redesign the site Mabe and the Old Quay Neolithic visits to sites around the world or about and an initial assessment has been settlement on St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly. their special studies; more space was obtained. The website sub-committee The programme was organised by Andy made available to particular field trips, (augmented by our new webmaster Millie Jones and Henrietta Quinnell. such as the one to Stonehenge, and to Holman) will liaise with the designer over reports of community excavations and In July CAS organized and hosted a day its content, features and appearance. projects involving our members. As school at the Sterts Centre, Liskeard, to THE AREA REPS always, Adrian Rodda welcomes your hear reports from the Mapping the Sun articles and photographs and volunteers Project and to tour the Hurlers with the The ARs continue their invaluable work. who will write up summaries of the experts involved. As usual they met twice, in October 14 lectures and field trips. So put into action and Mar 15, to exchange information, WALKS & EXCURSIONS your inner journalist and get writing! discuss developments and hear As ever, Steve Hartgroves organised a presentations relevant to their work. Forty two members have opted to receive full and varied programme of visits which Discussions are ongoing with Ryan Smith, their newsletters through email only. took us to sites of all periods and types – the Society’s webmaster, about upgrading Others who might wish to receive them in Iron Age hillforts, rounds, field systems, the AR’s page on the CAS website, this way should contact the editor with historic towns, and to Dartmoor on our enhancing the amount of information their email addresses and their home joint walk with DAS. available. Our warmest thanks are due to addresses so that our lists can be Peter Cornall whose role as AR convenor updated. We also ventured further afield with a is vital in maintaining a network of coach trip to the excellent new visitor representatives and the Monument GRANT REQUESTS Ryan Smith is resigning his post of Watch and to Sheila James for her work webmaster. In addition to maintaining the During the course of 2014/15 we received in connection with the website. website, Ryan has taken on the a request from the Reading the Hurlers distribution of the Newsletters to members ROMAN CORNWALL project, a follow-up to the very successful who have opted to receive only the digital ‘Mapping the Sun’ project. We have The Roman group has continued to meet version. Under his auspices journals 1 to granted £500 as matched funding to regularly under the energetic 39 were put on line and he has improved support the application by U3A to chairmanship of Steve Hartgroves. the Area Representatives information the HLF, with the request that a summary Following up on the decision to focus, in pages. He will be a hard act to follow. or full report appears in Cornish the first instance, on sites of possible Archaeology. Les Dodd has worked alongside Pete Roman military origin, geophysical Nicholas in bringing to CAS the capacity surveys have been undertaken at a A second grant was pledged towards a to undertake geophysical surveying number of promising-looking sites and project for cataloguing Mesolithic field through a partnership with Saltash others are planned. The outcomes so far collections from the North Cliffs, near Heritage/Tamarside Archaeology. are what can most optimistically be , and carrying out further field described ‘as positive evidence of a investigation. The overall cost of the Carl Thorpe, a popular member of the negation’, for example, surveys which project would be £33,000 and CAS agreed Society, ever willing, he has given many showed Mount Whistle clearly not to be a (in principle) to contribute 10%, £3,300. excellent talks and walks, besides his Roman fortlet and Bodrugan probably not. The bulk of the funding was being sought involvement with excavation and post Work at Carvossa (where earlier from English Heritage (decision excavation work. Carl plays a very active excavations produced tantalizingly early anticipated by the end of April). This and important role in the Roman Cornwall Roman imported pottery), due this Society would look to provide a group, and will continue to do so. summer, is awaiting clearance of the land. geophysical survey and volunteers as And finally, our warmest thanks and best appropriate. The group is looking into the publication of wishes for the future go to Jane Marley the results of the geophysical survey and THANKS TO ALL FELLOW TRUSTEES who has left the museum and is moving to field walking at the Roman fort complex at Bath. During her years on the Committee Many of the other trustees who take on Restormel. An excellent, full interim she has provided a vital link between the particular responsibilities I have statement produced by Carl Thorpe (with RCM and CAS. She also took on the role mentioned above in the sections input from John Smith) for the Duchy of of representing CAS at the Historic appropriate to them. And to these I must Cornwall, on whose land the site sits, is to Cornwall Advisory Group and has helped add our Treasurer, Karen Cole, who is a be integrated with a fresh geophysical out at lectures and provided practical safe pair of hands with our finances. survey and specialist comment on the assistance and support in many other pottery and glass. Members of the group Our Secretary, Roger Smith, does a ways. will be visiting the Restormel Iron lode. prodigious amount of work on behalf of The Committee members have a small the Society; he has endeavoured to keep WORKING CLOSELY WITH OTHER token of our respect for and gratitude me on the rails and up to scratch over the HERITAGE BODIES towards Jane which I have the pleasure to past 3 years: he services all of the present. We continue to be represented on and/or committees most effectively and efficiently keep in touch with a range of heritage- and deals with an enormous amount of My warmest thanks to all of my fellow related bodies around the County: correspondence in between. Roger is trustees who welcomed me, very much a looking to stand down at next year’s AGM new girl on the committee, most warmly Jane Marley has kept us up-to-date with – we are actively seeking a replacement , and have always been most supportive Museum matters. At our January meeting as soon as possible, to shadow him. and helpful. They are a most delightful, we were addressed by Ian Wall, the new enthusiastic, ever-willing assortment of Director of the RCM. (See Ian’s article Anna Tyack and Iain Rowe have, as in people. I have very much enjoyed my inside this Newsletter.) previous years, played vital roles in setting three years as president – they have flown up lectures at Truro and Liskeard Anna Tyacke keeps us up-to date on the by. respectively. As you will have seen from workings of the Portable Antiquities your meeting papers, we hope to be This last year has been one of much Scheme in Cornwall. The Historic welcoming Ian to the committee very change in heritage-related bodies in Cornwall Advisory Group has, sadly, now shortly. Cornwall, partly as a result of public sector been disbanded – a victim of the cuts in funding cuts: the protection of the historic County Council funding. Andy Jones Staying with us on the committee but environment is vulnerable and against this provides liaison with the Cornwall leaving post: background Societies such as ours have Archaeological Unit. Jenny Beale continues to serve loyally on an important role to play. As I hand over to Our secretary is the first point of contact the committee. my successor I know I leave things in very for many of the regional heritage bodies, safe hands: those of NICK JOHNSON Henrietta Quinnell, who had most kindly and recipient of numerous requests for extended her role as Past President in As I said when I spoke of him last year, he information relating to the Archaeology of view of the death of Tony Blackman, can is an extremely appropriate person to the County, which he replies to or passes now stand down from that post as I preside over the affairs of this Society – to the relevant person – the Society is assume it. he already knows it well, and is steeped in clearly performing an important function in the Archaeology of the County, its affairs the county as a focus for queries relating PEOPLE LEAVING THE COMMITTEE: and its personnel. His knowledge and to and dissemination of information on Steve Hartgroves’s contributions have experience will be invaluable to the archaeological matters, including those been mentioned above. Society, and I wish him well in the post. relating to planning. CAS TRUSTEES 2015-16 In the short period that I worked with Jane publication of the collections. This may be I was always impressed by her achieved by funding outside researchers President: Nicholas Johnson enthusiasm and knowledge about the or waiting for relevant research to present Past President: Valerie Maxfield archaeological collections and the itself, eg PhD projects. The curator also Secretary: Roger Smith professionalism with which she carried out has to organise international loans and Treasurer: Karen Cole her work. Jane was a committed CAS purchases or loans to and from other Joint Editor with Graeme Kirkham, member and active as member of the museums in Britain, such as the British Peter Rose. Membership Secretary: Konstanze committee. Everyone at the museum, and Museum who contributed to the new Rahn I am sure all CAS members who worked Egyptian Gallery. Director of Excavations: Andy Jones with her, will miss her as she takes up her Excursions Officer: Kathy Conder new role with South Gloucestershire New for the RCM was a freelance Lectures Officer: Jenny Moore Council as their Museums and Heritage conservator, Laura Ratcliffe, and a new Newsletter Editor: Adrian Rodda Officer. We wish her luck. conservation laboratory. Laura has been PAS: Anna Tyacke gathering new information on collections Publicity Officer: Christine Wilson such as the Mylor Hoard, which had been Survey Group Leader: Peter Nicholas Webmaster: Millie Holman packed in bracken within a jar, suggesting Elected: Jenny Beale, a summer burial. David Giddings Henrietta Quinnell New exhibitions have involved a Joint Laura Ratcliffe project with Plymouth Museum and the Iain Rowe Portable Antiquities “Treasure Scheme”. Emma Trevarthen. Jane was active in setting up and advising

Penlee House Museum when it created its Treasurer’s Report. new archaeological exhibition. The new Egyptian Gallery, with its Greek and We are in a good financial position. Our Ian Wall total cash balance (10th March 2015) is Roman objects address the National £67,530. Our liabilities, such as Curriculum themes and hosted many Journals for 2014 and 2015, publication Archaeology in Cornwall school visits. The setting up of a “Hands- of CAS Excavations, promised grants Conference (Nov 2014) on History Hub” will inform children who as matched funding etc, come to come with their families as well as their £31,000. Summaries school visits. Our annual running costs, excluding the journals, which are included in the liabilities, are around £5,000. Under our Curating Cornish Excavations at reserve policy, which requires us to archaeology at the Royal Hendraburnick, 2013 – rock meet current liabilities and have reserves for two years of operation, we Cornwall Museum. Jane art and a propped stone. Dr have a surplus disbursable reserve of Marley. Andy Jones. about £26,455.

Andy began by explaining that rock art in A more detailed account was available The Royal institution of Cornwall had been at the AGM. This is just my summary founded in 1818 and by 1825 its museum the South West has until recently been (Ed) was the main archaeological repository for thought to be rare and simplistic, generally the county. It now holds 27% of the confined to cup marks in the granite of Jane Marley. archaeological objects in Cornwall’s West Penwith or Moor and the museums and archaeology comprises North Cornish Slates. However, over 30 Jane took up her post as the Curator of 38% of the museum’s collection. There sites have now been found in a variety of Archaeology and World Cultures at the are also archives on loan from the Duchy settings. They occur on outcropping Royal Institution of Cornwall in 2004. Over Estate, National Trust and English boulders, fragmented pieces of stone or this ten year period Jane injected an Heritage lodged for safekeeping and within or atop monuments. Examples were incredible amount of enthusiasm into reference at RCM. This includes paper Tregiffian entrance tomb, Mulfra and Chun numerous projects and showed herself to reports and notebooks from projects, Quoits, possibly Carwynnen quoit, the be extremely committed to the principles which may be deposited in the Courtney Three Brothers of Grugwith and grounders and objectives of the museum sector Library. at Drift and Stithians Reservoirs. especially in the South West. There are so The propped stone at Hendraburnick many projects to cite but possibly her Curation of the collection involves the leans towards the source of the River largest triumph within the museum was selection, organisation and care of items Camel and is situated near, but not at the her involvement in the development of the for display or for safe keeping. A curator’s top of the field. It is made of a very hard Unwrapping the Past gallery in partnership job could include excavation, drawing and stone, epidiorite or ‘greenstone’, which with the British Museum. This project publication. The RCM collections have had probably been sourced from the river resulted in rehousing the World Cultures been in the process of reorganisation valley below and dragged 600m up the collection in a gallery which is one of the since 2005. Additional duties for a curator slope to sit on the slate bedrock, propped most engaging exhibitions in the museum. could include independent research and at one end by smaller slate stones. It is Neolithic and Early Bronze Age sites Sean described the archaeological work shaped like an axe, narrower at one end elsewhere in Britain on the area to the east of Truro prior to the than at the other, and is 5.3m long. It had development of the Tregurra Valley, which been suggested to be the capstone of a When the lichen was removed off the face is bounded on three sides by hills and on megalithic ‘quoit’ or chambered tomb but of the “capstone” some 60 cup marks the fourth by the Trevella Stream.. inspection revealed that it sat on a low could be seen. Long, grooved channels Geophysics had identified field cairn or platform of slates. There ran down the stone from the upper cup boundaries, dating to the Iron Age and appeared to be at least 30 cup marks on marks in a kind of sunburst pattern and medieval periods and a segmented ditch its surface. A smaller, but still substantial, this makes it the most decorated site in that was thought to be of Neolithic date. epidiorite stone lay at an angle at its the South West. The angle of the stone Flints and pottery had been recorded from eastern end and may have been a fallen means that the art is best viewed by fieldwalking and a level area had been standing stone. moonlight or low sunlight. identified as a potential prehistoric occupation site. Excavation in 2012 and a Eight test pits were dug around the stone watching brief in the summer of 2014 and its base touching the slate bedrock found 483 pits, some of which were was cleared. A cup mark on the slate postholes and some of post prehistoric beneath its south side was revealed. A date. However, the majority are likely to barbed and tanged arrowhead and a be of Neolithic or Bronze Age date and 94 segmented faience bead were found. contained prehistoric pottery and/or flints, Analysis of the bead confirmed the of which 53 contained pottery. There was presence of copper and tin in the glaze one with sherds from an early Neolithic and the tin could well have been from carinated bowl. Four contained

Cornwall. Peterborough ware, 13 held Grooved Andy suggested that the abundance of ware, 2 held Beaker pottery and 2 had A long trench along the north side showed smashed quartz might imply night time Trevisker Ware. Some of the rest of the that the cup marked stone sat on a rituals. Quartz has triboluminescent, pottery was from the Iron Age. There were platform of slate which was edged by a properties, that is to say, it gives off light Neolithic pits on both sides of the valley. kerb of water rolled quartz stones. This when it is smashed and of course reflects abutted the natural slate outcrop, upon moonlight eerily. There is ethnographic The earliest identified Neolithic site, on the which was another cup mark. Charcoal evidence for this type of ritual from studies south side of the valley, was a hearth pit gave a date of 2570-2350 cal BC, the Late of Native Americans. with a deep fill of ash, pottery, and quartz Neolithic, and comparable with sites in and a larger pit close to it with a complex Kilmartin, Argyll. There were many deposition sequence lying over a large smashed pieces of quartz. Study of these fissure in the bedrock.. On the north side has revealed that they had not been used of the valley there were pits arranged in a as tools for carving the cup marks. This horseshoe shape, a common feature of suggested that the stone had been Neolithic sites, which contained Grooved worked elsewhere and that the quartz had Ware and cassiterite pebbles. One of the been brought to the site and deliberately pits may have had a flue. smashed there. There was a 4.5m diameter ring of 6 post holes. They contained no identifiable pottery, but held flint pebbles and a quartz crystal. The post ring was cut by a later pit with Trevisker ware. Further down the valley were pits with Grooved Ware, including some unusual forms and patterns. Although the cassiterite pebbles might suggest a knowledge of metal, there was no evidence of early metal working although several later iron smelting furnaces were found. Other pits contained The quartz stone lined against the slate photo courtesy Carl Thorpe. bedrock. large amounts of flint including one that This was the CAS excavation for 2013. held 372 pieces, the majority of which was Charcoal from the fallen stone at the debitage eastern end gave a date of 1742-1612 cal Getting into the Grooved: The large enclosure at Woodcock Corner BC (Early Bronze Age), which showed recording the Neolithic at that the site had been significant, albeit comprised 2 ditch segments enclosing the intermittently, over many centuries. There Woodcock Corner. Sean edge of a knoll sheltered by hills. Both was a piece of a smashed greenstone Taylor (CAU) segments of the ditch had similar macehead, similar to finds from Late deposits. A buried soil horizon of Mesolithic or Neolithic date was cut by the engraved disc by Graham Hill. Picture by On the landward side between the coast ditch and several pits. Both segments had Graham Hill. path and the inner bank a rectangular a burnt earth layer high up in the area had been enclosed up to the sequence. There were pits inside and rampart. Since it is a Scheduled outside the ditch. There were few Monument permission was given only to remaining stratigraphic relationships and explore the ditches before and between no clear evidence of a bank on either side the ramparts and not to cut into the banks of the ditch. Material has been submitted themselves. One trench across the outer, for dating and the results have been quite square enclosure wall was allowed in an surprising. A sample from the primary fill attempt to date it. The only find from this of the ditch returned an early Bronze Age trench was a single beach pebble from the date of 1943-1751 cal BC (95.4% make-up of the bank. A shallow ditch was probability) whilst a sample from the burnt excavated outside the enclosure bank and earth layer gave a medieval date of cal AD although this probably follows the entirety Grooved Ware pot. Picture courtesy CAU 1151-1262 (89%). A fuller series of dates of the feature the unexplored enclosure will be obtained from the ditch but the Excavations also revealed a well- banks are too overgrown to be certain. initial results point to a long-lived feature. engineered road that is probably an 18th Charcoal material beneath the bank is a century precursor of the road possible indicator of improvement of the th Five pits outside the enclosure made a and an early 19 century brick kiln. heathy landscape prior to the enclosure quincunx pattern, like a 5 on a dice. Two being set out, and it is unlikely that it is The site report will be published as a contained Peterborough Ware, flints and contemporary with the fort. hazelnut shells. Four other pits inside the monograph. enclosure contained Grooved Ware. Upon excavation the Iron Age ditches Recent work at Crane Castle, proved spectacularly deep. Both ditches The most remarkable discovery was made Illogan and Godrevy barrow, between the ramparts were cut through in the eastern of a pair of Grooved Ware Gwithian. Jacky Nowakowski bedrock with the landward ditch beyond pits. An almost circular disc had a the outer rampart cut to a depth of 1.5m lozenge pattern on one side, similar to that (CAU) below the present ground level. The base found in the Ness of Brodger, and of the inner ditch was 5.8m below the checkerboard pattern on the other. This Crane Castle, an Iron Age present top of the rampart. A possible resembled a bone plaque from Shetland Promontory Fort. posthole cut into the seaward side of the and Grooved Ware from Penryn College. ditch suggested that a retaining wall may Small scale excavations and a have been erected, either at the time of topographical and geophysical survey of building to retain the rock thrown up the site on the North Cliffs, Illogan Parish, towards the rampart, or later to near Portreath were commissioned by the consolidate slippage from its face. The National Trust and financed by the Rural presence of quartz and other stone in the Development Programme for ditch fill may indicate that the higher, inner (RDPE) as part of their Unlocking our rampart was faced on the landward side Coastal Heritage project along the South with stone to make it even more West Coast Path carried out by CAU impressive, whilst stones surviving at the archaeologists and volunteers from CAS. top of the inner rampart represent the The site is about 200 metres west of probable remains of a stone wall or bank. Bassett Cove at the cliff edge, which is Slate disc with chequerboard pattern. Picture The steepness of the two banks may courtesy CAU heavily eroded, leaving two parallel but suggest that its narrow area was intended probably shortened ramparts with nothing as a killing zone to entrap attackers who on their seaward side but fallen cliffs and had already stormed the outer bank. Crane Island, now offshore, but probably once part of the promontory fort.

photo permission from CAU. The two banks James Gossip excavates the inner ditch. Replica of diamond lozenge side of the and the rectangular enclosure are visible. Of the 60 putative cliff castles on the geophysical surveys and a small-scale Geophysical survey of the surrounding Cornish coast only The Rumps, excavation. In September 2012 the HE landscape, carried out by Trevelgue, Gurnard’s Head and Mean team cut back, cleaned up and recorded ArchaeoPhysica, revealed medieval or Castle have been excavated, so this short the ragged exposed sections of the later ridge and furrow cultivation but no excavation has added significantly to our original excavation trench. The dark black evidence for settlement, defensive picture of Iron Age Society. Intriguingly horizon was re-exposed and sampled for structures or other barrows. the only find was of a rim from a finely palaeoenvironmental data (soils and made Roman period bottle, probably snails) and a small area high up in the The results of this recent work, which Oxford Colour-Coat. The site is not far barrow mound and adjacent to the main combines new survey and excavation data from the Roman Villa at Magor Farm, trench was newly excavated. Here under as well as an assessment of the Illogan. An Iron Age round is located in a layer of slates a deposit of cremated unpublished 1950s excavation archive the Tehidy Woods, just inland from the bone was discovered alongside four (kindly made available to the team by fort. Flints from the Mesolithic and sherds of Romano-British pottery, circa Professor Charles Thomas) will be Neolithic and the existence of now 400 BC – AD 150). The bone was presented in a report and will inform the destroyed Bronze Age barrows in the identified as human and submitted for an long-term management of the monument fields nearby show how the area has long AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) by the National Trust. been important to prehistoric peoples. The radiocarbon date, which turned out to be geophysical survey, carried out by 1616 -1493BC, the Middle Bronze Age. These summaries were adapted form ArchaeoPhysica on land outside the articles published in CAS Newsletters 130 enclosure, produced no conclusive and 131 which had been approved by results. Jacky Nowakowski and by James Gossip. The date of the burnt bone from Godrevy Rediscovering Godrevy barrow, has challenged the assumptions made in Gwithian, Cornwall 2012 the original article that the bone was from a burial made in the Romano British The second site, a Bronze Age barrow period and connected with the site at crowns Godrevy Head, Gwithian. Godrevy Porth Godrevy. However, we still have to barrow is a major prehistoric site and a explain the 4 pieces of RB pottery and the reminder of just how important this brooch found high up in the barrow coastline was in prehistory and in later mound. This is probably easily explained Cut into the barrow shows the quartz cap and Romano-British times. In 1952 the barrow – and likely to represent disturbance of a layers. was partially excavated by a young Middle Bronze Age secondary burial placed into the completed monument archaeology graduate, Charles Thomas, The discovery of disturbed human bone (rather than an earlier BA primary deposit who, with a small team of friends, cut a from the Bronze Age alongside Romano- below the mound – none of which were long narrow trench across and into the British pottery from within the barrow found but which may still be present large barrow mound. As well as revealing mound at Godrevy confirms a suspected beneath un-excavated sections). The RB a major section through the compacted complex site history and sheds some light deposit may have been part of a burial shillet and earth barrow mound make-up, on the discovery of a rare copper alloy too, from which no bone survived. a remarkable dark horizon which penannular brooch which too was found represented the old land surface was high up in the barrow mound during the The summaries were drafted from notes discovered across the site at the base of 1950s investigation (see Fowler in Cornish by Millie Holman and Adrian Rodda, and the mound. This produced a major scatter Archaeology 2 1963). Although Godrevy where possible were sent to the lecturers of worked flint – some pieces con-join and barrow is principally an Early Bronze Age for comment and edits. Thanks to all the date to the Mesolithic period which monument, the ceremonial significance of lecturers who corrected and commented suggests remnant survival of a sealed the site seems to have endured and this on these summaries for us and provided the latest information, such as AMS dates, surface upon which flint was once major local landmark was respected knapped. Other finds included a Neolithic as well as pictures. James Gossip, Sean several thousand years later in the Taylor, Andy Jones and Henrietta stone axe and a broken stone quern which Romano-British period. This new Quinnell, whose lecture appeared in the suggest a continuing interest in the discovery sheds light on the status of the last newsletter. The Report on the location even before the barrow was built. small Romano-British farmstead found excavations at Tremough has now No burial or external ditch was found by and excavated at Porth Godrevy (also as been published by Sidestone Press, Charles and his team. The original part of the Gwithian project in the late edited by Andy M.Jones, James Gossip and Henrietta Quinnell. See website: excavation trenches had remained open, 1950s, see Nowakowski et al in Cornish exposed and vulnerable to weathering and Archaeology 46 2007) located less than ½ http://www.sidestone.com/booksh footfall erosion. mile to the south. Bronze penannular op/settlement-and-metalworking- brooches are still relatively rare in the in-the-middle-bronze-age-and- The results of the 1950s excavations are county and this could have been worn by not widely known and the overall aim of beyond an individual who had some connection this revisit has been to assess the results with Porth Godrevy. of earlier work and then capture new More reports will appear in NL139. information through topographical, The reorganisation of the Liaison Officer, the care of the into Holywell Bay from Penhale Point, Royal Institution of Cornwall archaeological collections is in good Cubert. Unfortunately we do not know if hands. the orientation of this cist grave was East- West, indicating a Christian burial, and it I was extremely pleased to be able to I also mentioned at the Committee was highly speculative to associate it with attend the Cornwall Archaeological meeting that a strong principle behind the St.Piran, whose remains must lie at the Committee meeting in January and outline reorganisation was the RIC’s willingness Perran Sands. It could be remains of a the implications of the restructure on the to develop stronger partnerships and barrow cist, Early Christian or Medieval RIC being able to look after and care for opportunities for more people to volunteer. cist grave and does it still exist? An the archaeological collections. The strong links that exist between the exercise for the CAS? RIC and the Cornwall Archaeological At the meeting I described our position Society are fundamental to us achieving Michael Tangye () and that over the last four years the RIC our ambitious vision and we look forward has had a significant reduction in its to working closely with CAS members, (If you care to follow the instructions for revenue funding as a result of public drawing on their knowledge about the the Online Mapping Archaeological sector cuts. Added to this the gradual archaeological collections as we create research sites which are included on a decline in visitors to the museum has exciting exhibitions and events. flyer with this Newsletter, you will find the weakened our opportunity to shore up the HER references to Michael’s discovery. budget through more commercial Ian Wall, Director RCM. But you won’t find the answer to his fundraising activity. It was also my view, question. Ed.) after being in post nine months last An Interesting Discovery. October, that previous restructures had Reviews. Adrian Rodda not addressed a fundamental issue as to Over fifty years of transcribing whether the team structure was right for descriptions of archaeological discoveries “Rising Ground: a search for the new financial reality and to take the reported in the Cornish Press has the spirit of place.” Philip RIC forward. produced much fascinating material. One report is particularly intriguing and it Marsden. Granta 2014. £20. In early 2014 the Trustees and staff were appears in the “West Briton” of 6.9.1844. engaged in setting a new vision for the After his history of Falmouth, “The Levelling Sea,” Philip Marsden has cast RIC and the museum and library which Interesting Discovery. identified the need to raise the profile of his net wider across Cornwall and beyond it. He is a writer who researches like a the organisation and capture the A short time since, a boat went down from imagination of existing and future Newquay to the Cow and Calf Rock, scholar, summarises his research like a journalist and uses language sparingly, audiences about the collections; creating which is correctly known by the name of a dynamic and vibrant cultural hub with a Carter’s Rock, in search of native guano. but evocatively, like a poet. His research is made in libraries from original strong Cornish narrative. This ambition In prosecuting their search, they within a tight funding environment meant accidentally came across a large flat documents and notebooks, but is illuminated by his own, often muddy, that a new streamlined staff structure stone, and on uncovering and lifting it they needed to be put in place which saw the found deposited in a grave encircled by footfall and exploration over the sites described. Sometimes alone, often development of more flexible roles that slate stones, the skull and bones of a encouraged innovation in delivery and human being, which on examination walking in the footsteps of antiquarians such as Leland and Polwhele, he also improved co ordination across the whole proved to be those of a male. organisation. enjoys the enthusiasm of people we know The grave strongly resembles those or knew through CAS. His chapter on A fundamental change to the roles was discovered in the neighbourhood of the Bodmin Moor affectionately pays tribute to the creation of Collection Managers who old church in the sands, St Piran. Some the discoveries of Tony Blackman and would now have the responsibility for the doubt has arisen where the body of Peter Herring and the theories and care of the entire collections including the St.Piran was deposited; there is a chance observations of the late Roger Farnworth. archaeological material which makes up therefore that this is the identical body, He relishes the memory of Roger’s approximately 30% or 90,000 objects. since there is scarcely a doubt that this companionship and earnest conversation. Within these new roles there is the rock was joined to the mainland. The retention of significant curatorial expertise. grave may be found about a foot under Marsden’s brief biographies of people who responded emotionally and intellectually to Sara Chambers took up the post of the surface and on the south side of the Collections and Exhibitions Manager in rock. Had the bones been found on the the places he visited are selectively condensed to portray them as passionate, April 2015 after being the Curator of surface we might safely infer that it was Natural History and Mineralogy with 14 the body of some poor, unfortunate perhaps eccentric, but certainly important people. He discovers Charles Henderson years of experience and collection mariner; but the grave is nearly perfect.” knowledge under her belt. Sadly Jane through his notebooks in the Courtney Marley left the RIC in March with the loss The “Cow and Calf” rock or “Carter’s Library, John Blight from his archive in the of her experience. However, with Sara Rock” are two small rock islands Morrab Library and Jack Clemo, the poet, now driving this team and with the representing the seaward extremity of an and Peter Lanyon, the artist, not only retention of Anna Tyacke as the Finds eroded promontory which once extended through their works but through interviews John Polrudden from his bed in 1500 and about what we might term “public with people who remembered them. carried him off through a tunnel to their archaeology”. Pip Richards, who inspired ship. Neither did I know that Prior Colyns, and managed the project, recruited artists, In the Courtney he discovered the the last prior of Tywardreath, was a poets, lyricists, musicians, teachers and unpublished history written by John hopeless alcoholic who recklessly gave schoolchildren to celebrate the quoit and Whitaker, who died in 1808 after 30 years away parcels of Priory land to his friends its history. Local people brought stories as vicar of Ruan Lanihorne. Marsden and relations. Lynne also made me think and pictures to show how it had figured in writes, “Whitaker discovered a fresh way about the challenge of building bridges in their childhood. of revealing the past, through old walls Medieval times and how skilled a mason and rubble piles, ruins, fields, oral history needed to be to build a tunnel or an Experts, such as Anna Tyacke and Sally and toponymy.” This is Marsden’s own underground vaulted cellar. She touches Herriot, helped local children to model for his research and it works. He on Medieval hermitage lighthouses and so experience Neolithic life. Tom Goskar’s quotes Oliver Padel’s interpretations of much more. specialist photographs of the apparent Cornish place names whenever “rock art” are included and explained. The appropriate. I now know more about the book publishes the AMS dates from area, but Lynne has whetted my appetite samples of burnt bone and charcoal found In tandem with his discoveries across to keep learning. It’s not just china clay! on the space between two uprights. But Cornwall, Marsden describes how he and I’m not telling you here! For just £6.00 you his family stumbled upon, acquired, Viking Voyagers: Maritime can buy the book from me and see all the modernised and settled into their new Museum, Falmouth until pictures of the excavation process and the home at Ardevora, on the silted up Fal celebrations at each stage in this exciting February 2017. river above Tolverne. He caught the spirit project. of this place and shares it with us in poetic This exhibition employs all the modern prose and homely anecdotes. techniques of involving the visitor. You are Excavations at King Edward Mine Museum, Camborne. Do read this book. If you see me at a CAS invited to step aboard a replica Viking lecture, ask to borrow it, but be sure to ship, built for the museum by local boat return it. This is a book that I shall building students. You can lift a cover to King Edward Mine (as it was re-named in definitely want to dip into again. It is a smell the meat barrel; to enter the 1901) was part of the South Condurrow Mine which was abandoned c.1890. It was taster for further research about so many exhibition space you hear a lesson in re-opened in 1897, and developed as a people and places that I need to know Norse vocabulary. Heavy replica chain mail armour hangs below a polished fully operational/training mine by the more about. Camborne School of Mines. The CSM helmet and a weird wicker woman completely re-furbished the mine, both on A Monastery at Pentewan? dressed in colourful clothes explains how the surface and underground. In 1921, the Vikings set up markets. Your eyes will adjacent Grenville Mine ceased works and Lynne Hendy. Polmear 2012 wonder at the size of some of the silver flooded. As both mines were ornaments and the beauty of the amber interconnected, King Edward also flooded I came across this book at the China Clay globules and coin hoards displayed. underground. The surface works Museum at Wheal Martyn and recognised continued to be used for teaching mining, the name of a CAS member who The Vikings are related to Cornwall with ore dressing and surveying. contributes reports for the Newsletter. reference to a coin in Penwith, the The St Austell area is something of a Tywardreath hoard, quotations from the The CSM moved its teaching to the main mystery to me, so when challenged by the Anglo/Saxon chronicle and the Battle of School of Mining building in 1974, and the mill complex at KEM became a store. A question in the title I was intrigued. Lynne Hingston Down when Egbert defeated a considers her own question by examining volunteer group was formed in 1987 to combined Cornish and Viking force. the history of The Terrace at Pentewan conserve the site as an educational Athelstan is also mentioned, as are the resource. Machinery was rescued and from the Middle Ages to today. To do this settlements at Meanporth and Gwithian. restored in the mill to working order. KEM she tells us about the quarries where (and Great Condurrow) finally ceased to Pentewan Stone was sourced for so many The exhibition is here for a long time and be used by CSM in 2005 and was churches and manor houses in Cornwall. since a ticket will re-admit me for a year, I purchased by . It was The history and uses of Pentewan harbour certainly intend to see it all again. already a museum at this time. were woven into her narrative and, perhaps of greatest interest to me A Monument like no other. The In 2013, it was decided to investigate the because of the Facebook group recently restoration of Carwynnen Quoit, area between the Assay Office and the set up to research the site of Tywardreath engine house used to power the stamps. Priory, Lynne gives a clear and detailed The Sustainable Trust 2012-14 James Gossip from the CAU was brought account of its foundation and its in to lead a group of volunteers to dig This A4 sized softback gives an account numerous test pits. Several walls of the dissolution with a useful timeline. of all the digging, finds, related research boiler-house adjacent to the engine house which was involved in this community were uncovered as well as a cobbled Phillip Marsden’s book gives us much to surface of the coal-yard. After the initial project. Many CAS members became follow up, and so does Lynne’s. I did not phase of investigation was completed, the know that French pirates had kidnapped involved in the digging and post volunteers continued to work exposing the excavation work, but they learned much cobbles of the coal-yard and boiler-house Abigail Brown environment with a geophysical survey by excavating a layer of topsoil and refuse and some excavation. One target would up to 1m thick. Evidence of the overhead be to locate the circular building recorded launder, running on an east-west What Next for St Piran’s Oratory? by Haslam in 1827. This may have been alignment, has been identified by two the hermit’s living cell or part of a larger large post-holes cut into the cobbled James Gossip (CAU), who directs the group of cells for a monastery. surface. work at the Oratory for St Piran’s Trust, gave a talk in Perranporth to bring James mentioned that a Bronze Age flint interested parties up to date. knife had been placed under the body of a child which may have been buried in the John Allen is preparing a report on the th 16 century. The flint may be interpreted state of the building. Tom Goskar’s 3D as a favourite, curated piece, a treasured photogrammetry survey of the site can be toy, perhaps found by the child in the viewed on the Facebook page Uncovering sands. The excavations associated with St Piran’s Oratory. the parish church a few hundred yards past the nearby steam in 2004 had found The Oratory is again under water, to a a Bronze Age site and Iron Age pottery. depth of four feet or more. This will happen every winter as it is ground water, Cobbled surface of the coal-yard and not rainwater from above. It is hoped to A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT engine-house. use ground penetrating radar to discover Let me ask you two questions. How the depth of the bedrock and the location The excavation of the boiler-house has important are Cornwall’s Listed Buildings? of a spring on the site. There had been currently been halted due to the depth of Are they in good repair? It’s a certainty an attempt in the past to drain the chapel, rubbish/spoil which will have to be that, as a CAS member, you will think they but the pipes were now silted up. It is removed by machine. The eastern wall of are important. You may well say they form the boiler-house has been exposed and a possible that they could be used again, a major part of Cornwall’s heritage and sondage was dug internally to determine but the burial of the concrete and digging help us to understand our past. You may the level of the floor. It was found that the up of sand from around the chapel in 1980 go further, like Cornwall Council, and say floor of the boiler-house is considerably may have fractured the pipes. It will be lower than the coal-yard. that as part of our historic environment necessary to prove to Natural England they comprise ‘a unique and irreplaceable that drainage will have no adverse effects resource’. Fine. That’s the easy question, on the flora and fauna of this SSI. now, for the second. Well, you may say, how would I know? There are a lot of them. (Very true, there are 11,884 Grade II Listed Buildings alone.) And, you might also say, don’t we have people at County Hall to check on them? Take time to think: austerity economics, and a political philosophy antagonistic to the public sector, have led to swingeing cuts, so there are very, very few qualified people to monitor buildings or any other archaeological features. At this stage St Piran’s Oratory on March 15th 2015. helplessness could take over. But there is some hope: read on. When the water recedes in the summer it is hoped that specialist conservation In the winter of 2013-14, Cornwall builders will consolidate the walls, which Council’s Historic Environment Information are in surprisingly good condition. & Policy Team won an HLF grant to survey listed buildings in North and South Sondage inside the boiler-house showing English Heritage is considering roofing original ground level East Cornwall. They enlisted CAS and over the whole structure, possibly with a other partners (including the Cornish Finds have included iron rivets, geology transparent roof, which would be very Buildings Group and Cornwall Heritage cores, pottery, glass bottles, iron launder expensive. The remaining concrete walls Trust) who provided funding, and frames and mining tools. Excavation has which surround the chapel are scheduled manpower in the form of volunteers. The also begun on the flue which leads from and will probably be used to support it. HE Projects team were awarded the the chimney stack to the calciner and James showed pictures of protective Project, and, fortunately, Cornwall at that excavation of the calciner is a future aim. There is much more to discover at King covers from sites in Italy and Denmark. time also had the services of Richard Edward Mine www.kingedwardmine.co.uk Mikulski as Community Archaeologist. and all volunteers are welcome! Contact The next stage of the project would With expertise on hand, including that of Keith Rundle ([email protected]) complete the conservation work and Jackie Nowakowski, Andrew Richards, investigate the cemetery and immediate Emma Trevarthen, Jane Powning, Nick would have known. So, what is the story dissertations. The site at Tywardreath is Cahill and Eric Berry, all seemed set up, if elsewhere in Cornwall? very complex, with centuries of changes to only volunteers could be found. The first the environment. There are historical meeting was oversubscribed and in the Roger Smith reports from the monks, complaining that end no fewer than 42 willing volunteers they had had to move inland as the Priory received training and went out into the Help Find Tywardreath Priory was being raided by pirates – the Priory is field. now at least 1.5 miles from the sea. In Recently, a group of archaeologists, addition, there have been many Armed with cameras and forms, the historians and local enthusiasts have alterations made to the land surrounding participants went to places such as , come together in the search for Newhouse Farm, over the centuries. Port Isaac, Landrake, Polperro, Saltash Tywardreath Priory. and St Germans. Close observation and Land adjacent to the church was reputed thought, plus argument at times, were The Priory featured in Daphne du to have produced quantities of worked needed. Never again will these people Maurier’s book The House on the Strand stone and so this seemed the most likely pass a gutter or window-frame without a and there are a number of references to area to target. An initial resistivity survey shrewd, knowing glance! Such was the the Priory in historical records throughout was inconclusive, but Neill and his enthusiasm that 540 buildings were the centuries, but the exact site of the students were able to use equipment recorded and photographed, in excess of Priory has remained a mystery. which is not readily available to the number planned. archaeologists. Although not conclusive The Benedictine Priory was founded on what was very disturbed ground, Neill So, what did this achieve, besides an around the time of the conquest, and it is was able to show that there were a excellent report (Heritage at risk: Grade II suggested that Tywardreath grew up number of anomalies at a depth of 1.8 to 2 Listed Buildings Condition Survey, North around it. The Priory’s mother house was m. A student will be undertaking and South East Cornwall, report number in Angers, France. The Priory was dissertation work on the site over the 2014R053, Cornwall Archaeological Unit: dissolved around 1536 as part of the summer to produce a more detailed www.cornwall.gov.uk/archaeology )? First, Reformation – but prior to this there is a survey of the underground anomalies. it meant that interested groups and rather long record of reports of the individuals worked as teams. Secondly, ‘dissolute monks of Tywardreath’ whom, it Neil Wood’s the volunteers gained an informed insight would seem, were always claiming student into our built heritage, which they shared poverty. setting up a geophysical with curious onlookers. It was a successful survey.l partnership between the professional The Priory is believed to have been in the near vicinity of St Andrew’s Church experts and the amateurs. Results were fed into the Historic Environment Record. (dedicated 1343) and on or near to land belonging to Newhouse Farm, Without them it would have been impossible to have a systematic study of a Tywardreath. Newhouse Farm was whole area; now there is a baseline for recently purchased by social further research. entrepreneurs Trudy Thompson and Josh Taylor of www.bricksandbread.com who, Oh, one other thing: it was fun! For a by a lucky coincidence, were enthused by layperson, the chance to be instructed and the thought of the Priory being on their supervised by experts, to go out into the land and totally supportive of field and record, with enthusiasts from archaeological and historical examination. other heritage organisations, and to feel They have set up a Facebook page and There are many threads to be drawn useful, was priceless. Cornwall has website http://tywardreathpriory.com (with together, in the search for the Priory, but 11,884 Grade II Listed Buildings, so there funding from Par Bay Big Local overall the intention is that the community is more to do, plus an enormous number www.parbaybiglocal.org.uk). The intention of Tywardreath will be actively involved in of scheduled monuments which need is that this will be a community the search and discovery of the Priory. regular monitoring. CAS already has an archaeology project and run as a social enterprise. active Monument Watch programme run Jenny Moore by its network of Area Representatives but more people are desperately needed so Local consultation events have been very successful, and a lot of information has An Archaeological Walk on there is plenty of opportunity for those of 15th March 2015 you who want to get involved. been received. However, significant developments have been made through The first day of a two week holiday, and So, are our Grade II Listed Buildings in the involvement of Neill Wood and his the day of a guided walk organised by the students from the Camborne School of North and South East Cornwall in good Cornwall Archaeological Society repair? According to our survey: 1% of Mines, Penryn buildings were deemed to be in bad Campus. Neill runs a surveying On a very cold, but importantly, dry day 8 condition; 3% were poor; 19% fair; and programme for masters’ students and has souls gathered in a small car park at 77% good. Without this project no-one several archaeologists on his programme, Balwest, prepared for an attack on the who are keen to do archaeology-related heights of Tregonning Hill. A multi-period walk had been promised by our guide, is the site of an old quarry, which provided struggling on the final climb back up to the Steve Hartgroves, covering Bronze Age a much needed break from the wind, and summit, and our small band split into two barrows, an Iron Age hillfort and commemorates John Wesley's visits to groups - one lagging to discuss the mine accompanying settlements, medieval field nearby Kennegy Downs and Breage in the workings between Tregonning and systems, right up to comparatively recent mid-1700s. The pit was used extensively Godolphin Hills, and the rest of us eager China Clay quarries and workings. All of for Sunday School meetings on Whit to finally get to the top once more for a this was delivered, and more! Sundays, and is still apparently used at final look at the views before returning to Pentecost for multi-denominational the cars to make our way home. Tregonning Hill stands some 6km West of services. , and rises to the magnificent So what were my impressions of my first height of 194 metres, overlooking Mounts CAS walk? I was impressed with the Bay to the SW. It is surmounted by extent of knowledge shown and imparted War Memorial, and an OS trig by Steve the group leader - from the Pre- point. The hill is a SSSI, and the major Cambrian to Napoleonic times, he importance of the site is the occurrence of covered it all with good humour. The other an extremely rare liverwort, Western participants were not slow in coming Rustwort profunda, which is forward if they had something to add to found growing on bare outcrops of the discussions, and there were questions weathered granite within and around the aplenty at all stages of the walk. If others old china clay workings. Tregonning Hill is are like this, I'll make sure to coincide my the only known British location for holiday dates again in future! Western Rustwort and internationally it is restricted to this site in Cornwall and a few Lunch at Preaching Pit. Photo Kathy Conder. Alan Simkins, locations in and . http://www.heritageaction.org.uk http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citat After a picnic lunch, we moved further ion/citation_photo/1007148.pdf south to look at the main quarry, site of a The rare brick kiln mentioned in Alan’s plane crash in the war. A commemorative report had been restored by CAU. Steve showed us several aerial photos plate is apparently in place, quite near to and old maps of the area (which would be the edge of the quarry, but we didn't look referenced throughout the day), pointing too hard for it! The quarry was an early out the various barrows and features that China Clay site, having first been we would be visiting, and then we were discovered here in 1746 by William off! The main track from Balwest is Cookworthy. We continued to the south- metalled, and gave no difficulties other east, toward a lookout house which dates than the incline, and we soon came to a to the Napoleonic era, until we reached an side track at which point we paused. An area marked 'cromlech' on the map. This old (parish boundary?) wall was our first was actually a rather nice kerbed cairn marker and an obvious kink in the line of dating from the Bronze Age, which I would the wall, along with a couple of suspicious guess is around 40 metres across. Many bumps, marked our first Bronze Age of the surrounding kerb stones are still Before restoration. Photo Brett Archer. barrow. Continuing on, we soon found visible, and there is an obvious mound in ourselves clambering down and up across the centre. This was an undoubted a wide banked ditch - the fortifications of highlght of the walk for me. Retracing our the Castle Pencaire hillfort at the summit. steps a short distance, we turned to the It's difficult to actually make out the north, where alongside the track was yet fortifications on the ground, as quarrying another BA barrow. No real distinguishing has impacted upon the defences, much features, but an obvious 'bump' in the stone has been robbed out, (some of landscape. which was apparently used for the war memorial which stands within the fort) and Finally heading downhill, discussion what remains is hidden in the extensive turned to the landscape of fields below, undergrowth. We moved on up to the and an obvious progression from Iron Age memor ial, and sheltered from the biting enclosed fields, to medieval strip farming, wind in its lea. A short geology lesson and finally the much larger fields of today After restoration. Photo Kathryn Conder ensued, Steve taking us back to the pre- was presented to us. We passed an Cambrian and explaining how the rocks (inaccessible) Iron Age settlement area, or below our feet were formed. 'round' near the base of the hill, but attention then switched to the ground to The views from the summit are extensive, our right, which was the site of an old but unfortunately there was a haze to the brickworks, with one of the kilns still in day, and the distance views were not as place, but the rest left as faint traces on clear as they could have been, though the aerial photographs. field patterns all around, and particularly to the north could be easily made out. Our As we moved across the north base of the prehistoric geology lesson over, we hill, a field boundary was examined - a retraced our steps back across the ditch to double bank and ditch identifying it as a the track. We continued south for a short partial boundary of another Iron Age distance before bearing off to the right, to Round. All too soon, the path started to Graffiti at Crantock, Photo Steve Hebdidge and an area with an information sign, 'The incline again, and we knew the end of the Sheila Harper. See Graffiti Project “CAN YOU Preaching Pit'. Our lunchtime stop, the 'pit' walk was not too far away now. I'll admit to HELP?” in the flyer. CAS WALKS 2015 Sunday 27th September Lizard buildings and structures which were Soaprock and the origins of previously unknown or at least Members joining these walks must ensure unrecorded. As many of you will know, an that they are appropriately dressed and English porcelain. A walk with excellent project was carried out in Norfolk equipped for the terrain and the weather local historian Bob Felce. specifically to record graffiti in medieval conditions likely to be encountered. You 11.00-16.00 Meet at Predannack Wollas churches and there is potential for a should assure yourself that you are NT Car Park.(SW 6678 1603). Uncovering similar project in Cornwall. If you know of physically able to meet any challenges the forgotten industrial history of 17th and any examples of incised marks or graffiti, which the walk may entail and should 18th Century Cornwall on the west coast particularly from military sites, medieval discuss with the walk leader, prior to the of the Lizard Peninsula and its links to the church graffiti, or ritual marks in start of the walk, any circumstances or earliest production of English porcelain. vernacular buildings or if you would like conditions which might be relevant. Recent research into the development of to express an interest in taking part in a The Society is concerned for your welfare, the cliff quarries at Gew Graze (Soapy recording project, email but it is not responsible for it. Cove), Kynance and Pentreath. [email protected] . Please indicate if there is a specific theme that interests Sunday, June 7th. Roughtor with Sunday 18th October - St. you. Roger Smith and Adrian Rodda. Agnes Tinners’ and Wreckers’ . Meet at the car park (SX 138818) by Day - with Roger Radcliffe (St. Cornwall & 11.00am. There will be wet and marshy Agnes Museum) 11:00 – 16:00. Archaeological Societies Joint patches. Bring a pic nic. Meet at Trelawny Road Car Park in the Symposium 2015 A steep climb along the Bank Cairn to centre of St. Agnes (by the library). IRON AGE HILLFORTS, Showery Tor, a level walk across Little Appropriate clothing and footwear ENCLOSURES AND LANDUSE Roughtor to the site of St Michael’s advisable (18thcentury if you wish!). Picnic Chapel on Roughtor. Then a steep IN SOUTH WEST BRITAIN lunch at Trevaunance Cove (low water is st descent through a Bronze Age Settlement at 15:07); a suitable locally brewed 31 October 2015 at Eagle to Fernacre Stone Circle, an easy walk wreckers’ ale will be available at the House Hotel, Launceston along the track, past cists and cairns, to Driftwood Spars for those so inclined. The 10.00am – 5.30 pm Louden circle and then across rough day concludes with tea & cakes at St. Recent work has seen advances in the ground to Stannon Circle. To satisfy the Agnes Museum (cars will be arranged for way we understand hillforts and child in us all, we’ll stop at the Louden Hill the final leg). enclosures, and the land use of Logan Stone before a rough walk through Prompted by renewed interest in Winston communities who constructed and used another settlement back to our cars and Graham's Poldark saga (1783 - 1820), this them. Different aspects will be addressed Charlotte Dymond’s Memorial. visit to St. Agnes aims to bring alive the for South West , Devon and

period, people and places that inspired his Cornwall, with the focus on the Iron Age, Sunday July 12th - 11:00 - 14:00; novels. Focused on the 18th century but but with extensions before and after this Lowland Point and Three touching on a few of the more ancient period where appropriate. Extensive Brothers Grugwith with Charlie archaeological sites along the way and geophysical survey, new excavations and Blue Hills Tin Streams for a tour of the Johns (CAU). A morning walk to new approaches to dating have been works led by tin streamer and smelter especially rewarding. Speakers arranged Lowland Point to see the Trebarveth salt Mark Wills (demonstrations and details of: are Catherine Frieman, Ralph Fyfe, works and hut circles nearby. Meet and water powered tin-stamps, settling ponds, Frances Griffith, Andy Jones, Clare park at Dean Point (SW 8001 2005) or buddle, ball-mill, shaking table, smelter, tin Randall, Henrietta Quinnell and Eileen could car share from Roskilly’s Farm. ingots. The layers of history run deep on Wilkes. See booking form accompanying this site so there is plenty of interest for An afternoon visit to Three Brothers this newsletter, and on both Societies’ the archaeologist. Special rate of £5.50 Grugwith to see the Neolithic cup marks websites, for further details on the per head). We will need to confirm on the collapsed capstone of the quoit and programme and the venue. numbers for Blue Hills Tin Streams so the newly surveyed stone circle. Meet and The cost to include tea, coffee and lunch please book a place ASAP (contact Adrian park on side road past Zoar Garage on will be £25 per person. The booking form, Rodda). road to Penhallock (SW 7602 1907) together with cheques made payable to ‘Cornwall Archaeological Society’, should th Sunday 8th August. Gunwalloe Sunday November 15th - A walk be sent, by October 14 , to: Konstanze Rahn, 13 Beach Road, Porthtowan, Truro, Excavations Open Day around the Penwith Central Uplands with David Giddings. Cornwall, TR4 8AA. Telephone 01209 Imogen Wood will be conducting another 891463. small excavation on the Early Medieval 11:00 – 16:00 Ceremonial landscape, settlement near Gunwalloe Church for NT. BA, IA and Romano-Cornish settlement It will begin with an exhibition of finds from with contemporary fieldscapes, kin .Contacts: Secretary: Roger Smith, earlier digs on Sunday 2nd August and working and more. There will be mud. 18, St Sulien, Luxulyan, Bodmin, PL30 culminate in a much bigger Open Day on Packed lunch. Wrap up. Meet end of 5EB (01726 850792) the 8th August with exhibition of new finds tarmac on the Bosiliack Lane. SW [email protected]. and old, display of animal/fish bone 438341. Near Bosiliack Farm. Membership secretary: Konstanze assemblage with results of new Cancellation 07970567771. Rahn, 13 Beach Road, Porthtowan, Truro. analysis, NT display on coastal erosion TR4 8AA. survey of Dollar cove, guided tours of the [email protected] sites and activities for children. It will begin Can You Help? Newsletter Editor: Adrian Rodda, 52, at 10.00 and end about 16.00. Emma Trevarthen and Graffiti. Mount Pleasant Road, Camborne, TR14 The National Trust car park is at (SW The Cornwall and Scilly HER has recently 7RJ (01209 718675) 6598 2062) received some wonderful examples of [email protected] graffiti and other incised marks from

USING CORNWALL COUNCIL’S ONLINE MAPPING FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH

1. Go to: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/ . 2. Click on M in the A to Z of services. 3. Click on Mapping. 4. Click on Follow this link for our interactive mapping. 5. There are 2 windows. The small one at the top left offers a menu. The lower one allows you to type in your chosen location. 6. To find your location, either type in the name or post code, or close the window and just zoom in on the map. If you have typed in the name you will see a choice of places in that location, such as addresses, streets, and places. Just click on the one you want. Then close the window to make space on the screen. 7. When you have found your location, click on Layers. 8. Return to the small window and click on Layers. 9. You will be given a choice of 9 layers, from Leisure to Historical. 10. Click on Historical and you will have another menu. These range from Sites and Monuments record-points to Protected wrecks. 11. If you are looking for information on specific sites, monuments, findspots etc the following are very useful: Sites and Monuments record-points Access to monuments Listed buildings 12. If you are looking for information covering a wider area, the following are useful: Sites and monuments record – polygons Registered battlefields Registered parks and gardens Event record Landscape assessment - to find this, go to the 9-layer menu and click on Landscape assessment (you can find Historic Landscape Characterisation and Landscape Character Areas). Areas of Historic or Landscape Value, World Heritage Site areas- to find this, go to the 9- layer menu and click on Environment 13. Using Sites and Monuments record-points. Click on the coloured dot that interests you. A window will appear. You can zoom in if you wish. For information, click Link to further information and you will be taken to Heritage Gateway. 14. Using Events record will give access to any detailed reports that are available. Once you have clicked on Events record shaded polygons will appear. If you want the report, just click on the thick outer brown line and the report will open, or, if there is more than one, a choice of reports will be given. 15. The mapping section of Cornwall Council website also has layers describing present day Cornwall, such as Leisure (to show rights of way in the areas of interest).