Archaeological Evaluation at Newquay Growth Area Newquay North Cornwall

During March 2013 Oxford Archaeology South undertook a 16-trench evaluation for
CgMs Consulting on land off the A3058 designated as part of the Newquay Growth
Area earmarked for new housing. A previous geophysical survey, which had covered
half of the site, had suggested that this area was of low archaeological potential,
revealing only a number of former field boundaries and (on the west side) a former
quarry.
The excavation identified a series of undated ditches representing field boundaries.
No datable artefactual evidence was recovered, but historic map evidence shows
that some of the ditches follow the lines of field boundaries still extant in the later
19th century. Others, which do not appear on these maps, but were traced by the
geophysical survey, are either parallel to, or at right angles to, the later 19th century
boundaries, so probably represent boundaries belonging to the same system, but
removed before the first historic maps were drawn, presumably to create larger
fields.
On the west edge of the area, a large pit produced modern (20th century) material and is interpreted as a recently infilled quarry pit.
In addition, two broad shallow linear features were found that were not identified as such on the geophysical survey. These were broadly at right angles to one another,
and on a different alignment to the field boundaries described above, but neither contained any finds.
The evaluation confirmed the results of the geophysical survey and appears to indicate low archaeological potential