Details

The monument includes a later prehistoric to Romano-British round, with
evidence for use as a medieval plain an gwarry or playing place, situated on
level ground on top of a ridge, south east of Cubert.
The round is circular in plan, measuring approximately 70m in diameter
overall. It has a single enclosing bank of earth and stone approximately 6m
wide and up to 1.5m high internally, and 2m high externally. An external ditch
is shown on early maps and aerial photographs and is visible on ground on the
south west and north east sides, where it is 4m-7m wide and 0.7m deep. It will
survive as a buried feature elsewhere. The interior is level except where it
is bisected by a modern road, with a raised surface and flanking banks.
An early map gives the name Playings for the field immediately north of the
enclosure. The name may denote a medieval playing place or (in Cornish) plain
an gwarry, a circular embanked area used for miracle plays. It is therefore
considered likely that the site was used in this way.
The modern road surface and all modern fencing, gates, telegraph poles and
cables, agricultural machinery, implements and materials, are excluded from
the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

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, where many more examples may await discovery. 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. Consequently, sites with significant surviving remains will normally
be considered to be of national importance.

The round 650m north east of Trelaske survives well. Despite partial filling
of the ditch, and limited modification for a road, the earthworks remain
substantially intact. The underlying old land surface, and remains of any
buildings, structures, and other deposits associated with this and with the
upstanding earthworks and ditch, will survive. The association with a medieval
plain an gwarry may illustrate one form of reuse of this monument type.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Michell, W E, 'Reports of the Royal Institution of Cornwall' in , , Vol. Unknown, (1856), 43
Other
AM7, (1951)
OS 75 NE 14, Fletcher, MJ, Ordnance Survey Index Card, (1971)
PRN 19656, Johnson, N, CAU SMR, (1975)
PRN 19656, Rose, P, CAU SMR, (1986)
Title: Cubert Tithe Apportionment
Source Date: 1840
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
347
Title: Lanhydrock Atlas
Source Date: 1696
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
The Playing, Manor of Ellinglaze
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map
Source Date: 1880
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Map
Source Date: 1908
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Source: Historic England