Kingsbridge Estuary Survey
The Salcombe to Kingsbridge Estuary is an 8.3 km long Ria situated on the coast of South Devon between the towns of Salcombe and Kingsbridge. It consists of an area of land and water totalling 674 ha, 446ha of which is intertidal, with a coastline measuring 48.6 Km at high water. The estuary forms a natural well sheltered shallow harbour, less than 12.5m deep The Estuary has a rich and varied historic environment including maritime, intertidal and terrestrial sites ranging in time from prehistory to the modern day. Only a proportion of these sites are fully recorded and it is acknowledged by Salcombe to Kingsbridge Estuary Forum that ‘the understanding of the historic environment of the Estuary is incomplete….’ South Devon was traditionally perceived as an area of little ancient activity in common with many lowland zones of the south. However, investigations in recent years have enabled that model to be reviewed. Hints of earlier activity have come from the Devon coastal zone in the form of Mesolithic artefacts associated with the submerged forests and peat deposits that fringe the current coast. Bronze Age artefacts have been recovered from the beaches around Thurlestone and on Burgh Island; numerous Bronze Age tumuli are distributed throughout the landscape. Excavations at Bigbury-on-Sea, Bantham, and Mothecombe have revealed Iron Age occupation evidence to be considered alongside other landscape components from that time including the “hillforts” of Holbury and Yarrowbury. Dark Age evidence has also been recovered from Bantham, Oldaport and Mothecombe, suggesting longevity of use of the South Devon landscape and coastal fringe.
Direct evidence for seafaring in the area dates back to the late Bronze Age with the Moor Sands shipwreck site, the recently discovered 'Salcombe B' Bronze Age Site and the possible prehistoric shipwreck site in the mouth of the Erme Estuary. The nature of the South Devon Coast characterised by long river estuaries, means that until the advent of the railways in the 19th century long distance communication will have occurred along the coast and estuaries making these a focus for habitation and activity.
The Project was designated as a collaboration between Bournemouth University and Devon County Council
as a combined teaching/research activity. The project has been designed to incorporate field walking; desk based, geophysical, topographic, and structural surveys and excavation activities to provide both research data and training opportunities for those working on the project The work is conducted in accordance with the English Heritage document, ‘Management of Archaeological Projects’ (English Heritage 1991) and completed to the Institute of Field Archaeologists’ standards and guidelines for desk based assessment, field evaluation and archaeological excavation. In addition, work within the estuary will be undertaken to the standards listed in the English Heritage document, ‘A Brief for Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Surveys’.
Results since the projects inception in 2005 have revealed a largely maritime landscape with the majority of finds being seafaring related, dock facilities, boats, mooring etc. Students have been directly involved in the recording and analysis of these as a well as undertaking a survey of maritime graves in the area which have proved interesting data on the maritime nature of the 19th century population of Salcombe.
