Site Event/Activity record EEM14619 - 2012: GS (MS, RS) - Wind Hill

Technique(s)

Organisation

Substrata

Date

April/June 2012

Description

This survey was part of a programme of archaeological investigations at Countisbury Castle commissioned as part of the Unlocking Our Costal Heritage project. A gradiometer survey was completed across the Scheduled survey area and was followed by a resistance survey 0.5ha in extent. Fifty-three magnetic anomaly groups and fourteen resistance anomaly groups were identified as representing possible archaeological deposits or features. Of these anomaly groups, the majority are thought to relate to former cultivation with field boundaries, strip lynchets and remnant ploughing patterns being provisionally identified. Resistance anomaly groups 50, 51 and 52 in field 2 may represent a north-south trending archaeological feature at the western end of the promontory fort and further archaeological investigations may determine whether or not this potential deposit or structure is related to the promontory fort itself or past agricultural activities. Anomaly groups 15 and 16 which straddle the boundary between fields 4 and 6 seem to represent a sub-circular feature that is visible on Google Earth images. An archaeological origin is possible for such an anomaly group although a former quarry or natural feature cannot be ruled out. Magnetic anomaly groups 26, 42 and 43, and resistance anomaly groups 53, 54 and 55 hint at possible archaeological deposits or structures adjacent to the extant earthworks at the eastern end of the promontory fort.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1> Report: Dean, R.. 2012. An archaeological gradiometer and earth resistance survey: Land at Countisbury Castle, Wind Hill, Lynmouth, Devon.
  • <2> Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 1607404, Extant 10 December 2021.

Map

Location

Location Land at Countisbury Castle, Wind Hill, Lynmouth, Devon
Grid reference Centred SS 7385 4928 (604m by 295m) (2 map features)
Map sheet SS74NW
Civil Parish COUNTISBURY, NORTH DEVON, DEVON

Related Monuments/Buildings (7)

  • Countisbury Castle or Wind Hill Promontory Fort (Monument)
  • Curviinear structure east of the rampart at Wind Hill (Monument)
  • Linear feature west of the rampart at Wind Hill (Monument)
  • Medieval field boundaries or strip lynchets on the west facing slopes of Wind Hill (Monument)
  • Possible western boundary of Wind Hill Promontory Fort (Monument)
  • Undated circular feature on Wind Hill (Monument)
  • Undated tracks on Wind Hill (Monument)

Record last edited

Dec 10 2021 11:35AM