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Details:
The trackway was first reported by Mr Edward Symes on 2nd July 1947 at ST41684282 and proved by Godwin and others on the same day. In April 1948 Goodwin and Jennings excavated a length of the track. On 26th September 1959 a further exposure was made at ST41564286 when photographs were taken and samples made for radiocarbon dating. The 1948 excavation revealed a 6ft length of track 3.5ft wide, constructed of longitudinally laid birch stems up to 3.5-4" diameter, covered with brushwood and pinned down by vertical and oblique stakes. The larger timbers of this and the 1959 excavation showed the marks of thick bladed curved axes, and an alder stump in situ was associated with the timber construction. Radio carbon dates of the 1959 samples gave a date of BP 4750±130 - this date being consistent with pollen analysis findings made in 1948. {1}

The precise locations of Godwins tracks are now lost. In 1967 during excavations on the Abbots Way a track was located which seemed to be an extension of the Honeygore track. {2}

An excavation was carried out in 1969-70 in the area of ST41654282 prior to destruction from peat working. At the same time further exposures were discovered to the E, making up quite a complex. The Honeygore track is the most substantial of any of the tracks in the group with timbers up to 70mm diameter and 2m long. Bundles of timbers sometimes formed a dense track, but occasionally they were more sparse. Lies at a depth of c55cm. A deliberate collection of twigs etc seemed to consolidate the timbers. In general the track seemed to comprise a single bundle of wood supported by stumps, brush and held in position by pegs along either side. These delimited the effective width of the track to about 70- 80cm. Was therefore little more than a footpath. At other points the construction is more substantial. Has now been traced for some 600m. The original length was either 3000 or 1700m running from the sand island of Catcott Burtle E towards the rock island of Westhay or the small sand island of Honeygar. To the W old peat cuttings mask the potential recognition of the track. {3}

The resumption of peat cutting in 1983 revealed more trackwork and a small excavation was carried out at cST41604283 revealing the usual structure (but lacking pegs) and providing a radio-carbon date of 4610±90 BP. The track has also been exposed at cST41504289 three times between 1979 and 1985. {6} 

NGRs rather difficult to pin down from the finds sheets. {11} 

Area of this trackway and the Abbots Way scheduled on 18 June 1996. {12} 

Under pasture in an uneven field, often waterlogged but with no evidence of poaching. {13}

References:

Data kindly supplied by the Somerset Historic Environment Record.
Record created in July 1985
© Copyright Somerset County Council 2007