Reasons for Designation
The extensive and multi period settlements, field systems and manufacturing sites on this south facing coastal cliff make this one of the most interesting, unusual and potentially important monuments in Cornwall reflecting many elements of agricultural, domestic, social, economic and industrial achievements spanning numerous millennia. As a result, despite a great deal of information already being known there is vast archaeological and environmental potential for further information regarding this area and its diverse and chronologically extensive settlement and use through many periods of climatic, economic and political change. Its importance cannot therefore be overemphasised.
Details
The monument includes a complex multi-period archaeological landscape of settlements, field systems and various manufacturing sites, situated on a wide band of sloping coastal cliffs between Lowland Point and Coverack. The archaeological remains survive as extensive standing rectilinear fields and enclosures; stone hut circles and other settlement sites; and their associated buried deposits and features which range in date from the Mesolithic to the early medieval periods. There have been numerous partial excavations, mainly from the first half of the 20th century, which have provided considerable information about the site. Chronologically, the earliest evidence for use of the area is a Mesolithic flint working site on a platform on the south western side of Carrick Crane Rocks. Excavated in 1933, it produced around 650 worked flints and some Iron Age pottery. Several chance finds of Neolithic pottery have been made, hinting at occupation of the area during this period. Several of the hut circles, at least one of which had an annexe, have also been excavated with recorded finds from these including pottery (Bronze Age to Iron Age), stone rubbers and an iron blade. The settlements were associated with an extensive field system of rectilinear fields and enclosures covering over 4 hectares. A Romano-British salt working site of the 2nd century AD was also identified. Here salt was evaporated from sea water in two rectangular, superimposed stone-built ovens housed in an oval building and connected with a field system which extended for over a hectare. Large quantities of pottery were recovered from the salt works and its walls, as excavated, stand up to 1m high. An early medieval settlement of two dwellings with associated irregular enclosures was also excavated and found to contain an assemblage of at least 60 vessels from 500 - 900 AD, the majority of which came from one building identified as the site of a kiln. The various excavators, surveyors and specialists included: OP Serocold, G Maynard, FM Patchett, DPS Peacock, J Manehip White, V Favell, C Thomas, and H Quinnell.
Further extensive archaeological remains survive in the vicinity and are not currently included in the scheduling because they have not been formally assessed.
Sources: HER:-
PastScape Monument No:-426434, 426440, 426449, 426452, 426443 and 426521,
