Ipplepen, in Devon, is situated approximately 20 miles south-west of Exeter. Since 2011, the site has been run by the University of Exeter as their annual training dig; as well as students, the digging team is also made up of community volunteers. This year, CA has two team members from the Exeter Office on site as supervisors, and it is anticipated that this will become a regular arrangement. This year’s fieldwork season will run throughout June, with an open-day scheduled at the end of the month.
The site was discovered by metal detectorists, who reported their finds to the Portable Antiquities Scheme. It is a multi-period site with, for the region, an unusually large amount of artefactual material – particularly coins. Previous fieldwork seasons have recorded a possible Middle Iron Age roundhouse, a Roman settlement (with associated road and field system) and an early medieval cemetery (which may have late Roman origins).
More details can be found on the University of Exeter website.
Photographs: © University of Exeter Archaeology Department
