Details of the Site and Excavated Contexts


1. LESKERNICK STONE ROW: SITE DETAILS

The terminal setting
Parish: Altarum, NW Bodmin Moor.
NGR: SX 18707986.
Height OD: 290m.
Topography: slightly sloping ground descending to the NE.
Geology: granitic upland.
Ownership: commonland.
Landuse: rough grazing.
Present day configuration: three recumbent stones (lengths 1.50 m, 1.60 m, 1.95 m forming a 'U' (Figs 5 & 6).
Archive site code: LSR95.
Location of archive: the records will be deposited at County Museum, Truro.

The stone row
NGR: SX 18707986–SX 19017991.
Length of row: 317 m.
Alignment of row: ENE-WSW.
Average height of stones: 0.2 m
Average distance between stones: 4.5 m.


LESKERNICK STONE ROW: EXCAVATION CONTEXTS

The soil horizons (Contexts 1, 2, 16)

Grass root mat: Thickness: c. 70 mm.

Context 1: Very smooth amorphous deposit underlying the grass root mat and comprising soft, very dark brownish-black, slightly stony silt with abundant fine fibrous roots, fine subrounded quartz pebbles (5%), occasional angular fragments of granite (average 30 mm) and occasional fragments of slate (max. 200 mm, av. 25 mm). Thickness: 70-110 mm. Boundary with Context 2: sharp.

Context 2: Bleached horizon underlying Context 1 comprising friable, mid greyish-black coarse sand with fine (2-4 mm) angular pebbles (40%) of weathered granite. Thickness: 120-130mm. Boundary with Context 16: sharp.

Context 16: Friable, slightly brittle, mid yellowish-brown coarse sand (with occasional fine, rusty mottles) underlying Context 2 and containing 15-20% angular coarse sand (c 2 mm) granite inclusions. Thickness: >180 mm (base not reached).

The terminal stones (Contexts 13–15)

Context 13 (Figs 8, 9,10: S1, S2): Recumbent granite monolith lying on an W-E axis with its partially buried eastern end protruding from the west baulk of the excavation trench. The base of the eastern end of the monolith partly overlies the uppermost fill (Context 7) of the stone-hollow (Context 11). Both ends of the stone are flat-topped. Monolith dimensions: 1.07m (length) x 0.30-0.48m (width) x 0.12-0.26m (thickness).

Context 14 (Figs 8, 9,10: S3): Recumbent granite monolith lying on a N-S axis just south of the stone-hole (Context 3) with its eastern side sealing the turfline (Context 1) where it passes over the edge of the uppermost fill (Context 5) of the stone-hole. One end of the monolith is rounded, the other pointed. Monolith dimensions: 1.30-1.58 x 0.40 x 60 mm (thickness, pointed end) -0.64 m (thickness, rounded end).

Context 15 (Figs 8 & 9): Recumbent granite monolith lying on a N-S axis with its eastern end 1.32 m west of Context 14 (recumbent monolith). Its western end is deeply buried. Its partly exposed eastern end is square-ended. Monolith dimensions: 1. 90 x 0. 42; thickness not ascertained.

The stone-hole (Contexts 3-5, 10, 12)

Context 3 (Figs 9, 10: S3, S4, S5i; 12 & 13): The feature cut through Context 2 and partly into Context 16. It contained a circular arrangement of granite stones (Context 5) and three fills (Contexts 5, 10, 12). The cut comprises an oval hole (with its long axis oriented W-E) with sharply sloping sides and a gradual break of slope at its base. The hole has a depth of 0.17 m and its base measures 0.3 x 1.12 m. The upper edge of the hole is surrounded by a ramp (0.12 m deep) which is vertical-sided and flat-based on its northern edge and sharply sloping with a gradual break of slope on its other sides. Interpretation: ramped stone-hole for a monolith (Context 14).

Context 4 (Figs 9, 10: S4, S5; 11, 12 & 13): Six flat-faced granite stones averaging 0.25 m in length. Each stone lay at a vertical to oblique angle. The stones formed a circuit (ext. diam. 0.44 m, int. diam. 0.30 m) within the upper part of the stone-hole fill. The circuit was incomplete on its northern side, with the 'missing' stone resting within the centre (Context 12) of the circuit. Interpretation: stone-hole packing-stones.

Context 5 (Figs 9, 10:S3, S4, S5): Uppermost fill of Context 3 (stone-hole) extending across the whole feature and overlying Contexts 10 and 12 (fills) . The deposit comprises a soft, dark bluish-brown clayey silt of 20 mm depth. Interpretation: Inwash deposit post-dismantling/fall of the monolith (Context 14).

Context 10 (Fig. 10: S3): Fill of Context 3 underlying Context 5 (fill) and encircling Context 4 (packing stones). The deposit comprises a soft dark grey-brown silty sand with occasional granite fragments (c. 20 mm) and 2% medium sand size (c. 0.20 mm) quartz and mica inclusions. The deposit has a depth of 0.12 m where it abuts Context 4 and, thins out to 2-3 mm where it meets the edge of the cut (Context 3). Interpretation: sedimentation around stone-packing (Context 4).

Context 12 (Fig. 10: S4, S5): Fill of Context 3 under Context 5 (fill) and within the stone packing (Context 4). The deposit comprises a firm, mid greyish-black clayey silt of 0.22 m depth. Interpretation: infill deposit after dismantling/fall of stone monolith (Context 14).

The stone-hollow (Contexts 7, 9, 11)

Context 7 (Figs 9, 10: S1): Fill of Context 11 (stone-hollow) under Context 1, and partly overlaying Context 13 (recumbent monolith) and comprising a moist, friable, mid brown silt full of root matter. The fill extends across the whole stone-hollow feature and has a max. depth of 60 mm, thinning out to virtually nothing at the edge of the hollow. Interpretation: deposit formed in waterlogged hollow created by animal trampling around a standing stone (Context 13 prior to dismantling/fall).

Context 9 (Fig. 10: S1, S2): Fill of Context 11 below Context 7 (fill). Context 11 comprises a friable, dark brown silty clay with some root penetration. The deposit abuts the sides and much of the base of the hollow (Context 11) and has a max. depth of 60 mm, thinning out to <4 mm at the edge of the hollow. Interpretation: initial inwash deposit into a depression cause by animal trampling around a standing stone (Context 13 prior to dismantling/fall).

Context 11 (Figs 9, 10: S1, S2): Irregular oval hollow which continued into the west baulk of the excavation trench. The hollow is cut into Context 2, and lies below Context 1 and partially under Context 13 (recumbent monolith). The hollow has its long axis oriented N-S with a max. length of 1.90 m. The max. exposed width is 1.00 m, max. depth 80 mm. Break of slope - top: sharp at the north and south ends of the feature and a gradual break of slope on the eastern slide; - sides: steep, concave slopes occur on the north and south sides and a smooth gradual slope on the east side; - base: sharp on the north and south sides, gradual on the east side. Interpretation: depression created (by animal trampling?) around an originally standing stone (Context 13). and subsequently infilled with an inwash layer (Context 9) and then a waterlogged deposit (Context 7).

The animal scuff-hollow (Context 6)

Context 6 (Figs 9, 10: S6): Shallow, sausage-shaped hollow under Context 1 and cut into Context 2. The feature measures c 1.94 m x 0.50 m, x 0.04 m (deep) and oriented NNE-SSW. The feature has a single fill comprising a friable, dark brownish-black sandy silt with 5% angular, medium quartz sand (c. 0.10-0.20mm). Interpretation: an animal scuff-hollow.

The slate concentration (Context 8)

Context 8 (Fig. 9): Not excavated. Irregular, circular area of roots and flat slate fragments (0.90 x 0.46 m) directly under Context 1 in the south-west corner of the excavation trench and disappearing into the eastern baulk of the excavation trench. The slate pieces are c. 4 mm thick with the largest pieces measuring c. 0.22 x 0.08 m and the smallest c. 60 x 60 mm. There is possible evidence of a cut delimiting the rooty area on the south edge of the feature. Interpretation: 'modern' (ie. 19th or 20th century) dump of roofing slates (eg. relating to local 19th century farm buildings).