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RADDON HILL CAUSEWAYED ENCLOSURE

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A Neolithic causewayed enclosure at Raddon Hill. Air photography had already shown that there was a multi-ditched enclosure on the hilltop, but the Neolithic elements were identified only in the course of geophysical survey and excavations undertaken in advance of the construction of an access road to a new reservoir. The excavations were undertaken by the Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit in 1994, and the cropmarks transcribed and analysed by RCHME in 1997 as part of the Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Project. Raddon is the most westerly known causewayed enclosure. The enclosure surrounds the hilltop and consists of a complete ovoid inner circuit enclosing circa 0.6 hectares, and an incomplete outer circuit on the south-west side only, enclosing a further circa 0.3 hectares. At the eastern end of the site, part of an inner bank was noted, and had subsequently had a timber rampart erected upon it, although it is not known if this followed the entire circuit. Finds included Early Neolithic pottery, a polished stone jadeite axe, plus flints including leaf-shaped arrowheads, scrapers, a fabricator and a knife, plus a flake from a polished flint axe. A feature described as a shaft was also encountered during the trial excavations. 5.9 metres in diameter, it was half-sectioned to a depth of 2.2 metres before safety concerns prevented further work. Compared in the interim report to the Wilsford Shaft, it was suggested to represent a well. A series of small ditches or gullies were recorded during geophysical survey as radiating from part of the causewayed enclosure circuit. They may represent field boundaries. Recent research into the dating of causewayed enclosures suggests that the inner circuit at Raddon was constructed in 3670-3535 cal BC, and was in use until probably 3540-3375 cal BC. Overall, the enclosure was in use for a minimum of probably 15 to 155 years.

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