Many archaeological discoveries are made during carefully planned searches, but some are made purely by accident, fortunately spotted by someone with keen eyes for all things ancient.
And that’s exactly what happened to Nick and Jenny Hart, the owners of West Northwood Farm, near St Neot, when they decided to clear back an unruly patch of brambles.
What emerged was a circle of stones and an embankment with a depression in the middle, something that clearly looked like a roundhouse. Upon further investigation, it turned out the roundhouse was just one of many on the site. More than that, the roundhouses appeared to be part of an enclosed settlement, with a surrounding bank and field system.
The opportunity was unmistakable: here lay a site which could contain evidence of some of the first peoples to settle on Bodmin Moor, and a glimpse into the lives of one of Cornwall’s earliest farming communities. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, St Neot Local Historians and St Neot Parish Council, the first archaeological excavation began in 2017. Led by Cornwall Archaeological Unit, it focussed on the largest roundhouse, the excavation revealed a surprisingly long history of use. The discoveries, which included pottery, showed that the site had not only been occupied in the Bronze Age, but had been re-occupied and modified in the Iron Age, and even during the Roman period – a significant discovery as few Iron Age sites have been found on Bodmin Moor.
In 2018 with further funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Cornwall Heritage Trust and St Neot Parish Council, DigVentures will pick up the baton and lead an excavation that will continue the investigation in more detail. By opening up excavations over two more roundhouses, and part of the enclosure, we’ll be able to open an even more detailed window into life on Bodmin Moor.
Together, we’ll be working with St Neot Local Historians and the landowners, Nick and Jenny, as part of a multi-disciplinary investigation exploring Bronze Age and Iron Age roundhouses of Bodmin Moor. Alongside the archaeological excavation, there’ll be experiments with building, and with crop growing.
Last year this project received the Cornwall Heritage Award, let’s see what we discover!
