Cornwall Archaeological Society members will soon receive the latest volume of the society’s journal, Cornish Archaeology (vol 58). (A reminder – subscriptions were due in January, so members who haven’t renewed yet should do so now to receive the journal!)
This edition includes reports on the society’s excavations on three sites: Mesolithic flint scatters at North Cliffs (with intriguing evidence for the processing of seals); a Neolithic tor enclosure at Carn Galva; and an enigmatic megalithic site, Bosporthennis Quoit.
Castle-an-Dinas (St Columb Major) is one of the few Iron Age hillforts in Cornwall to have been excavated. This account is based on study of archives from the 1960s’ excavations, and a set of new radiocarbon dates makes this one of just two Cornish hillforts dated in this way.
The journal also includes a review by Henrietta Quinnell of Roman-period settlement in Cornwall, and an update on distinctive Cornish stone mortaria and bowls.
Later periods are also covered. Examination of unusual markings on a cross at St Blazey throws new light on this tenth-century monument. The architectural history of Launceston Priory is examined in detail by John Allan on the basis of its plan and architectural fragments, and reconstruction drawings are presented. There are two articles on medieval towns. Excavations at Lostwithiel investigated the quay frontage and scientific analysis has produced new evidence about Cornish potteries. A short article on Millbrook in south-east Cornwall looks at its credentials to be included as one of Cornwall’s medieval towns.
In a first for Cornish archaeology, there is an account of the excavation of a row of nineteenth-century terraced cottages in Penzance, giving insights into living conditions and public health. The street had been demolished in the 1940s.
If you’re not a member but would like to join the Cornwall Archaeological Society, go to: become a member. Standard single membership is just £25.