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Excavations and Survey around the Village of Stokenham, Devon

Introduction

The parish of Stokenham, Devon, is known for the unique Anglo-Saxon dedication of its church to St. Humbert the Confessor and for its rich surviving medieval documentary record. The church, the majority of whose fabric is dated to the 15th and 16th centuries, is situated on a south-facing slope on the south-east side of the modern village. Immediately to the east of the church is the site of Stokenham manor house, abandoned in 1585 but possibly dating back to at least the 12th century. The church of Stokenham is thought to represent the Anglo-Saxon minster church of Coleridge hundred, whose royal estate centre was 1.5km to the west at Chillington.

The site represents a valuable opportunity to investigate the origins and development of a village in south-west England from its prehistoric and Saxon origins through to the present day. Two research topics provided the focus for the archaeological research:

• The investigation of the evolution of the village of Stokenham focusing upon its medieval church and manor of Stokenham
• The commemoration of the dead in Stokenham from medieval times to the present day.

The 2005 Field Season

Co-directed by Dr Howard Williams (then University of Exeter) and Dr Sam Turner (University of Newcastle)

During the 2005 field season, the project conducted geophysical surveys east and west of the parish church of Stokenham and conducted excavations ahead of the extension of the parish churchyard in Manor Field. Key discoveries included the remains of a medieval long-house, farmyard surfaces and drains. These overlaid earlier evidence of prehistoric activity including substantial multi-phased ditch-systems. A systematic fieldwalking survey was subsequently conducted in the Manor Field. The project also involved the survey of gravestones in the churchyard.

A detailed interim report is available on the SOGAER e-journal Excapades.

The 2006 Field Season

Directed by Dr Howard Williams

During July 2006, 28 archaeology students from the University of Exeter returned to Stokenham to complete and extend the work initiated in 2005. The 4 weeks excavation and fieldwork involved a number of related but discrete elements of archaeological research in the village

• The completion of the excavation begun in 2005 ahead of the extension of the village churchyard. The fieldwork completed the excavation of the southern end of a medieval long-house and associated features. The excavation also identified new evidence for medieval and early modern settlement activity associated with the nearby manor house of Stokenham. A range of ceramic evidence was uncovered including diagnostic late medieval and Tudor vessels, floor- and roof-tiles. A complex of inter-cutting ditches were revealed, the dates of which remain to be ascertained by radiocarbon dating. The ditches were clearly overlain by the later medieval activity. It is suggested that this represents a long-history of prehistoric activity on the site.
• The excavation of an east-west orientated 30m long & 2m-wide trial-trench within Manor Field immediately north of the churchyard extension excavations. This trench revealed further evidence of medieval buildings and prehistoric ditches, one of the earliest dating to the late Neolithic or Bronze Age based on ceramic evidence.
• Test-pitting in the Manor field to establish the character and quality of the archaeology associated with observed earthwork features revealing the remains of further medieval building debris.
• A detailed topographical survey of the Manor field using Differential GPS.
• The graveyard survey initiated in 2005 was extended, with c.80% of the graves recorded by the end of the field season.
• A series of evaluation trenches near the site of the medieval rectory in Stokenham revealed further evidence of medieval buildings close to the heart of the village.

The 2006 field season involved the community in many ways:

• Throughout the dig there were visits from local people and each day a site-guide took tours around the excavations.
• Local historical and archaeological societies were given guided tours of the fieldwork.
• There were visits by Stokenham and Blackawton primary schools who got a chance to participate in real archaeology
• Local people helped in a range of archaeological activities.
• The community also generously provided a range of materials to support the project from a generator to run the student showers, food for barbeques, cakes and a place for the students to camp.
• The completion of the excavation will allow the continued use of the churchyard as the burial site for the parish.
• The project benefited from the expertise of trained community archaeologist Sean Hawken who managed the excavations and orchestrated community involvement.

View the Stokenham 2006 Interim Report.

The 2007 Field Season

Directed by Dr Howard Williams

In July 2007, Howard Williams led the third season of fieldwork at Stokenham, Devon.

In two prior seasons the fieldwork project excavated a late medieval long house and farmyard including culverts and hard-standing surfaces. Beneath this we found a sequence of ditches, the earliest and most ephemeral of which dates back to the Bronze Age. The project also involved the archaeological survey of the churchyard of Stokenham. This year the project moved on to explore the medieval and Tudor manor house abandoned in the 1580s within ‘Manor Field’ east of the parish church. For more information, please read the Stokenham Interim Statement (DOC format).

Alongside support from the University of Exeter and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Stokenham '07 excavation benefitted from the Department of Archaeology's Exploration Fund who supported advanced training for 5 student-supervisors.