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Summary

Two possible medieval field boundaries are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs between 1946 and 2007, and possible trackways and lynchets are also visible. These earthworks may indicate the former existence of a larger settlement at this location and are likely to survive.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1458860
• National Monuments Record: SS 54 NE 69
• Pastscape

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT? (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1889 AD)
• LYNCHET? (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)
• TRACKWAY? (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

One of the field boundaries is depicted.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1655, NMR RAF 106G/UK/1655 3046-3047 11-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349996.

Two banks, and possibly other linear earthwork features, are visible as curvilinear earthworks.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

The banks are clearly visible as earthworks.

Exmoor National Park, 2009, Exmoor National Park National Mapping Programme (Archive - Survey). SDV350587.

A Post Medieval field boundary is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs, part of a possible wider complex of earthworks to the south of Ruggaton farm, which may indicate the existence of a former larger settlement at this location. The earthworks are centred on SS 5591 4542 and cover an area of approximately 22.4 hectares on a south and south-west facing slope above Bowden wood. The earthwork boundary is visible in the field immediately to the south of Ruggaton farm, and consists of two banks running parallel to each other in a north-south direction. The western bank is slightly curved. The enclosed areas is approximately 92 metres long and 26 metres wide, with the boundary itself measuring approximately 2 metres wide. This enclosed area may in fact represent the remains of a strip field. To the south-east of this boundary several trackways are visible as ditches or gullies, forming a triangular area which may represent a green or yard area. To the west of the boundary on the south-west facing slope of the valley are the remains of two curvilinear lynchets indicating prior cultivation. The earthwork boundary is shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1889 and therefore can be dated at least to the Post Medieval period. However, the earthworks could well be even earlier in date and further work is required to ascertain this. Place names in the area, such as Ruggaton Lane and Ruggaton Wood (both shown on the Ordnance Survey 1:10560 map) could support the interpretation that Ruggaton farm may have formerly been the location of a larger settlement

Knight, S., 2012, Backlog Input Element of the North Devon Coast AONB National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV350734.

The two curviinear field boundary banks are clearly visible as earthworks on aerial photographs bewteen 1946 and 2007, and one is depicted on the mid nineteenth century Tithe map. Earthwork remains are likely to survive.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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