Reasons for Designation
Rounds are small embanked enclosures, one of a range of settlement types dating to between the later Iron Age and the early post-Roman period. Usually circular or oval, they have a single earth and rubble bank and an outer ditch, with one entrance breaking the circuit. Excavations have produced drystone supporting walls within the bank, paved or cobbled entrance ways, post built gate structures, and remains of timber, turf or stone built houses of oval or rectangular plan, often set around the inner edge of the enclosing bank. Other evidence includes hearths, drains, gullies, pits and rubbish middens. Evidence for industrial activities has been recovered from some sites, including small scale metal working and, among the domestic debris, items traded from distant sources. Some rounds are associated with secondary enclosures, either abutting the round as an annexe or forming an additional enclosure. Rounds are viewed primarily as agricultural settlements, the equivalents of farming hamlets. They were replaced by unenclosed settlement types by the 7th century AD. Over 750 rounds are recorded in the British Isles, occurring in areas bordering the Irish Seas, but confined in England to south west Devon and especially Cornwall. Most recorded examples are sited on hillslopes and spurs. Rounds are important as one of the major sources of information on settlement and social organisation of the Iron Age and Roman periods in south west England. The round called Trewern Round survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, longevity, trade, agricultural practices, social organisation, territorial significance, domestic arrangements and overall landscape context.
Details
The monument includes a round, situated on the north eastern upper slopes of a ridge, overlooking the valley of the river leading to the Drift Reservoir. The round survives as a roughly circular enclosure defined partly by drystone walling and partly by a grass covered stony bank of up to 2m wide. The surrounding ditch is preserved as a buried feature. The interior is raised slightly, especially to the north east where it stands up to 1.5m above the ground level in adjoining fields. To the south west are faint traces of an inner bank parallel to the present enclosing wall. There are three apparent entrances; those to the north west and south east have trackways with stone walls, while the western entrance seems more modern. In 1845 two rotary quern stones were found close to the centre of the round and presented to Penzance Museum.
The nearby standing stone is the subject of a separate scheduling.
Sources: HER:-
PastScape Monument No:-424309