Round 520m north west of Trevissick Farm

Reasons for Designation

Rounds are small embanked enclosures, one of a range of settlement types dating to between the later Iron Age and the early post-Roman period. Usually circular or oval, they have a single earth and rubble bank and an outer ditch, with one entrance breaking the circuit. Excavations have produced drystone supporting walls within the bank, paved or cobbled entrance ways, post built gate structures, and remains of timber, turf or stone built houses of oval or rectangular plan, often set around the inner edge of the enclosing bank. Other evidence includes hearths, drains, gullies, pits and rubbish middens. Evidence for industrial activities has been recovered from some sites, including small scale metal working and, among the domestic debris, items traded from distant sources. Some rounds are associated with secondary enclosures, either abutting the round as an annexe or forming an additional enclosure. Rounds are viewed primarily as agricultural settlements, the equivalents of farming hamlets. They were replaced by unenclosed settlement types by the 7th century AD. Over 750 rounds are recorded in the British Isles, occurring in areas bordering the Irish Seas, but confined in England to south west Devon and especially Cornwall, where many more examples may await discovery. Most recorded examples are sited on hillslopes and spurs. Rounds are important as one of the major sources of information on settlement and social organisation of the Iron Age and Roman periods in south west England. Consequently, sites with significant surviving remains will normally be considered to be of national importance.

The round 520m north west of Trevissick Farm survives reasonably well. Despite modification of part of the enclosing bank to form a field boundary and reduction of the remainder by ploughing, substantial earthworks survive. The old land surface underlying the bank, and remains of any buildings, structures and other deposits associated with the bank and buried external ditch, and with the interior, will survive.

Details

The scheduling includes a later prehistoric to Romano-British round, situated on a slight north west slope on a ridge east of Porthtowan. The round is sub-oval in plan, measuring approximately 68.5m north east-south west by 56m north west-south east externally. Spread remains of an original single enclosing bank are visible as a gentle scarp, 12m wide and 0.7m high, from the south west side around the west and north to the east sides; and as a slight break in slope from the east to the SSE sides, and on the south west side where the bank curves through the corner of another field. On the south to south west side, part of the bank is incorporated in a stone faced earth and stone boundary bank, relatively modern in its present form. This averages 2m wide and 1.8m high, but is up to 3m wide and 2.15m high for some 5m at its western end. An external ditch approximately 4.5m wide, and an original entrance on the east side approximately 2.7m wide, are recorded. The ditch is considered to lie under the scarp formed by the spread enclosing bank around all sides except the south to south west, where it has been buried by silting or ploughing. The interior of the round is slightly concave, dipping south west of the centre. An associated field system beyond this scheduling is recorded, and part of a rotary quern was found in the area. The field system has been damaged by cultivation and is not considered to be of national importance. All modern fencing, gates and gate fittings, are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

32929

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Henderson, C, Parochial Antiquities in Parochial Antiquities, Vol. 5, (1930), 184,186
Warner, R, Cornish Archaeology in Parochial Check-List of Antiquities, Vol. 1, (1962), 114,116

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1880 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1907 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: Cornwall Mapping Project Source Date: 2000 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: St Agnes Tithe Apportionment Source Date: 1840 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: 4278
Thomas, R, Letter to the West Briton, (1851)

End of official list entry

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