Geophysical survey (gradiometry) was undertaken in March and September 2016 in the Well Meadow west of the farm to test the effectiveness of the survey method in the 19th century `improved? fields in the centre of the island where surface traces of prehistoric field systems had been largely removed. The survey location was chosen specifically in the non-fragile (lacking bird burrows), non-scheduled central area of the island so that any subsequent exploratory excavation to investigate the features could be seen and visited by members of the public. The geophysical survey area extended in a block measuring 200m x 40m, with a southerly extension at the SE side to track an angled, linear anomaly which had archaeological potential for further investigation. Bracken was cleared from the survey area by scythe prior to work going ahead.

The Skomer Island Project team returned during 25-27th September 2018 to carry out an investigation of the linear anomaly revealed on the geophysics, and opened a 2m x 6m excavation trench where the edges of the feature were most discrete. The chosen anomaly turned out to be a line of hard packed gravelly subsoil producing a higher magnetic signature than the surrounding subsoil, rather than an archaeological feature. Rabbit burrows were found to penetrate down to the subsoil to a depth of 0.5m. The trench was successful in producing the island's first documented sherds of post medieval pottery from the ploughsoil.

Analysis of the pot sherds by Dee Williams in October 2018 showed they represent a minimum of five vessels, all of which are types that one would expect to find in a late seventeenth to eighteenth-century agrarian context. The pottery includes North Devon gravel-tempered ware (mid 17th to 18th century in south Wales) and Developed whiteware (19th century).

The team comprised Bob Johnston (University of Sheffield) Louise Barker, Toby Driver (RCAHMW) and Dan Hunt (RCAHMW, CHERISH Project). The excavation proceeded with the kind permission of the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales, the wardens and staff of Skomer Island, the Islands Advisory Committee and Natural Resources Wales.

T. Driver, RCAHMW, 15th Oct 2018