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Summary

Cross bank and ditch earthwork spanning the spur to the southwest of Myrtleberry North Camp.

Monument Type(s):

• LINEAR EARTHWORK (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD (Possible))

Description

Crossbank, ditch spanning the spur. Ordnance Survey six inch 3 NW and SW situated 146 metres to southsouthwest of Myrtlebury North Camp (MDE1247). [1]

About one hundred and sixty paces southwest of enclosure is an outwork with probably original entrance traversed by an existing footpath. [2]

A supplementary univallate cross ridge work 150 metres to southwest with a simple causewayed entrance is presumably coeval with enclosure. [3]

Condition stable. [4]

Condition stable and good. The eastern end of the bank and ditch extend to the break of slope and appears original; the western end had been truncated by more recent disturbance, possibly quarrying. [5]

Cross ridge earthwork forming part of Myrtleberry settlement. Some 150 metres southwest of the enclosure cutting across the widening south summit of the promontory is an outwork in the form of a cross ridge earthwork oriented northwest to southeast and some 82 metres long. It is formed by a ditch, 10.5 metres wide and 1.4 metres deep, with inner stony bank, 5.5 metres wide and up to 1.2 metres high. The near central entrance shown is probably a modern break for the footpath. The original entrance appears to have been at the extreme northwest end where, unlike the southeast end which terminates at the top of the steep wooded slopes, the earthwork terminates some distance before reaching the top of the steep natural slopes leaving a substantial gap. Set into the slope behind the bank topping the rampart is a small circular platform, about 3m in diameter and 1 metres high, which overlooks the entrance and may be an original feature. Outside this entrance are the remains of a linear trial pit for iron (contemporary with those defacing the main enclosure to the south) which has disturbed the ditch and encroached on the earthwork but it has not been 'truncated' as suggested by Griffith. It is most probable that the access to the settlement was along a hollow way which approaches the outworks from the south, runs across the spur 22 to 29 metres south of the ramparts and swings round north through this gap and into the internal area where a terrace, 3 metres wide and some 40 metres or so long, is flanked by a scarp on its northwest side. The route then continued along the top of the west slopes to the enclosure entrance at its northwest angle. There appears to be no reason to doubt that the cross ridge earthwork is not an integral part of the settlement and that the whole is a contemporary work of one period, probably the Iron Age. [6]

82 metres long, average 13 metres wide. [11]

<1> English Heritage, 1913-, Schedule of Monuments, 1969 (Index). SSO410.

<2> Grinsell, L.V., 1970, The Archaeology of Exmoor: Bideford Bay to Bridgewater, 83 (Monograph). SMO4578.

<3> Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1973, SS74NW 14, 14 (Index). SDE90589.

<4> Various, Various, Oral Information or Staff Comments, SC Timms, 1980, site visit (Verbal communication). SMO5308.

<5> Various, Various, Oral Information or Staff Comments, FM Griffith, 1989, site visit (Verbal communication). SMO5308.

<6> Sainsbury, I.S.S, Field Investigators Comments, RCHME Field Investigation, 1994 (Unpublished document). SMO7324.

<7> Devon Archaeological Society, 1929+, Devon Archaeological Society Proceedings, Volume 25 (1967), 9 (C Whybrow) (Serial). SMO5362.

<8> Devon County Council, Paperwork held by Devon HER / SMR, Worksheet, 1980 (Archive). SEM7959.

<9> RAF, 1947, CPE/UK 1980.4047 (Aerial photograph). SDE90600.

<10> Unknown, 1978, MAM 2579 (Aerial photograph). SDE90601.

<11> Thackray, D. + Thackray, C., 1986, Lynmouth: Foreland Point, Countisbury Hill and Watersmeet, Devon. National Trust Archaeological Survey Report, 9 (Report). SDE74828.

<12> McDonnell, R., 1980, Exmoor Aerial Photograph Survey : Committee for Rescue Archaeology in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset Aerial Photograph Survey, SS7448C (Report). SDE60682.

<13> Wolfkamp, V., 2011, Myrtleberry North Camp, Exmoor National Park, North Devon. A Geophysical Survey (Report). SEM7575.

Sources and Further Reading

Related records

Other References

• Devon SMR Monument ID: 5345
• Devon SMR: SS74NW/4/1
• Local List Status (No)
• National Trust HER Record: MNA108014
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

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