Carvossa Enclosure Enclosure View all content for Carvossa Enclosure

Mentioned by Craig Weatherhill, in “Cornovia: Ancient Sites of Cornwall & Scilly” (Cornwall Books - 1985, revised 1997 & 2000). “This rectilinear earthwork, measuring 190m by 165m, was formerly believed to be a Roman camp. Excavation from 1968 to 1970 showed that the enclosure was of the pre-Roman Iron Age, but its most important period of use was between AD30 and AD130, when occupation outgrew the site and spilled into the outer ditch and surrounding area. Evidence was found of a road leading south-east to a mooring place on the then navigable River Fal; so was a great deal of pottery. This included amphorae and Samian ware, as well as Celtic Durotrigian ware originating from the region of Dorset. There was also evidence of iron smelting. Today only the northern rampart, 2.7m high, and its outer ditch are still impressive. Field walls overlie the west and south sides and the east ramparts appears only a low, irregular and spread bank within the field. An indistinct gap in the eastern bank represents the entrance which was found to have had a well metalled roadway. Large postholes probably held the supports of an overhead gatehouse. Excavation also revealed a small rectangular enclosure within the north-west corner of the site. The entrance of this was equipped with gate-towers. Nothing of this smaller enclosure is now visible”. In addition. “There are a number of rectangular or rectilinear earthworks on Cornwall, for example Carvossa, Probus, and Merthen, Contrantine, which were formerly believed to have been Roman camps. It is now accepted that they were native-built enclosures of the later and Roman Iron Age, and not necessarily imitations of Roman design, for a number pre-date the Roman occupation”

Posted by pure joy 9th September 2003ce

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