Description

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Videotext Communications Ltd to undertake a programme of archaeological recording and post-excavation work on an archaeological evaluation undertaken by Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ at the town of Looe in Cornwall. Two sites were involved: the Lammana Chapel and nearby Monks House on the mainland (centred on NGR 225113 052209), and St Michael's Chapel on Looe Island (centred on NGR 225675 051437).
The evaluation produced no definitive evidence for prehistoric activity on either site, although a large stone, apparently deliberately buried within the grounds of Island House on Looe Island may have been a prehistoric standing stone that had been demolished during 19th century landscaping.
Two ditches on the island produced Romano-British pottery, and one also contained a small hoard of eight late Roman coins. While the latter ditch seems to be fairly securely dated on this basis, the second ditch could have been later in date, and could form part of an enclosure, perhaps early Christian in date, previously recorded around the summit of the island.