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I am pleased to announce the following publication

Mudd, A., Cobain, S. and Haines, C. 2018 A Medieval Building and its
Contents at Island Farm, Ottery St Mary, East Devon: excavations in 2014,
Internet Archaeology 47. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.47.4

Excavations by Cotswold Archaeology in advance of housing development on
land at Island Farm, Ottery St Mary, Devon, examined archaeological remains
that included what is interpreted as a medieval longhouse (c. AD 1250–1350)
that had been destroyed by fire. The evidence included the charred remains
of timbers and deposits of charcoal and other botanical remains. The
identifications and spatial arrangements of this material are used to
suggest the materials employed in the construction of the building,
together with its contents, which included a variety of crops stored in the
chamber.

Analysis has provided unusual detail of the types of wood used in the
construction of the building, principally oak for the timber framing and
alder and willow for the wattle panelling, and of the composition of the
stored harvest, which included oats, wheat, rye, barley, broad beans, peas
and vetches.

The longhouse has similarities with others known from Devon, although the
interpretation of partial timber-framing appears to be unique in the
archaeological record from the county. The crops identified provide
physical evidence of what is recorded in historical documents, but also
suggest others, such as the composition of fodder. This report includes
primary data on the botanical remains to allow readers to interrogate the
information for further (and perhaps different) insights.

Other finds include fragments derived from the repair of copper-alloy
vessels, an axe-head, and a *Bronze Age* palstave (found in association
with a large group of medieval metalwork - probably collected as scrap
metal but possibly kept as a curio or charm).


*-->And since announcing the publication on Twitter, I have already been
informed me that Double-looped Palstaves are pretty much only known in
Somerset and Iberia so it is possible that this may be the first of its
kind from Devon! Got to love that instant, open access impact!*


regards
Judith

-- 

Judith Winters
Editor, Internet Archaeology
http://intarch.ac.uk

Open access publishing for Archaeology

Department of Archaeology, University of York YO1 7EP, UK
Twitter: @IntarchEditor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/internet.archaeology

*My working days are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday*

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