| Summary : 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. |
More information : A Neolithic causewayed enclosure was seen as cropmarks on air photographs and mapped at 1:2500 scale by the Aerial Survey Section of RCHME in February 1997. The enclosure lies inside the later hillfort described in Record SS 80 SE 53. These enclosures lie close to the western end of the Raddon Hills ridge, centred at SS 8855 0313.
Evaluation excavations were undertaken in this area by the Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit in 1994. (1) These excavations confirmed the presence of the Neolithic causewayed enclosure which proved to be approximately 200m in diameter, with ditches up to 0.4m wide and 0.8m deep. Neolithic artefacts recovered included a polished stone axe, pottery and leaf-shaped arrowheads. (2)
During the excavation a shaft was discovered and excavated to a depth of 2.2 metres before safety concerns halted work. It measured up to 5.9 metres in diameter and was compared to the Wilsford Shaft at Normanton Down, Wiltshire. The shaft has been tentatively interpreted as a well, although comparable artefacts to the Wilsford Shaft were not discovered to support this. (3)
Scheduled. (4) [For online access to designation information, see source 7]
Excavations along the route of a South West Water access road in 1994 investigated a sequence of prehistoric enclosures: a causewayed enclosure, an Early Iron Age palisaded enclosure and a hillfort with timber-framed ramparts. There were radiocarbon determinations for the enclosure phases and other which indicated activity in the Middle or Late Iron Age and in the early post-Roman period. Early Neolithic ceramic and lithic assemblages were present, as well as a small group of Early Iron Age pottery. (5)
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 15-155 years.
Raddon belongs to the 37th or 36th century cal BC. (6)
At time of recording in 2011, access to online information on the designation noted in source 4 is provided via the National Heritage List for England. (7)
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