Round 340m north west of Tresawle 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.

Despite modification of its enclosing bank and partial filling of its external ditch, the round 340m north west of Tresawle Farm survives comparatively well. The underlying old land surface, and remains of any structures or other deposits associated with this and with the upstanding earthworks and ditch, will also survive. The association with other rounds nearby will contribute to our understanding of the social and economic organisation of the farming landscape of this region in the later prehistoric to Roman periods.

Details

The scheduling includes a round of the later prehistoric to Roman period, situated on a moderate north east slope on the crest of a hill west of St Columb Major. This site is associated with other comparable enclosures nearby. The round is sub-circular in plan, measuring approximately 90m east-west by 80m north-south overall. It has an enclosing rampart and external ditch, modified by ploughing. The rampart is spread to form a bank of earth and small stones approximately 12m wide, very low around its inner side but 0.3m-0.5m high on the outside. The ditch is visible on the south side of the round as a slight depression 6m wide. By analogy with similar monuments elsewhere, the ditch continues around the whole of the rampart, the remainder being buried. The interior of the round slopes gently with the natural gradient but is a little higher than the surrounding ground, and is slightly concave. This is one of several rounds to survive in the vicinity.

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:

32969

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Polwhele, R, History of Cornwall, (1803), 108
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Cornwall: Volume I, (1906), 468

Other
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1880 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Title: St Columb Major Tithe Apportionment Map Source Date: 1840 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: 1036
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map Source Date: 1908 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
Dyer, CA, Cornwall Mapping Project, (1999)
PRN 22140, Cornwall SMR, (1997)
MS at RIC library, Truro, Henderson, C, Parochial Antiquities of Cornwall, Parochial Antiquities of Cornwall, (1920)
SW 86 NE, Fletcher, MJ, Ordnance Survey Index Card, (1971)

End of official list entry

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