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.
Details
This scheduling includes a later prehistoric to Romano-British round, situated
on a slight north west slope above the Tresillian River, with a fairly steep
tributary valley on its north side, south of Ladock.
The round is sub-oval in plan, measuring approximately 60m east-west by 50m
north-south overall. It has a rampart of earth and stone, spread by ploughing,
forming a rounded bank up to 14m wide and 0.5m high. By analogy with similar
sites elsewhere, the round has an external ditch, now buried. Data from other
rounds indicates that the enclosing bank and ditch were each around 4m wide
before modification, so that the buried ditch is considered to lie beneath the
outer bank material. The interior of the round is slightly raised.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32965
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
