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Summary

A complex of banks and ditches, visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1963, and as cropmarks on aerial photographs taken from 1969 to 2006, is interpreted as a possible deserted medieval village. The earthworks appear to have been levelled by ploughing but below-ground remains are very likely to survive and further work such as geophysical survey is recommended to better define the layout.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29SE/35

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

2/4/1969, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV122155.

Recorded as soil mark on cambridge air photograph (2/4/1969).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV122157.

Aph=raf/2113 0122/-.2.1957/retained at archaeology division, ordinance survey, southampton.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV122158.

Aph=cuc/axb 31,32(2/4/1969)/axb 31 in smr.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV122159.

Aph=raf cpe/uk 1974 11 april 1947 4494-4495/at dcc.

Unknown, 18/09/1980, DMV (Worksheet). SDV358949.

n the second field west of Dowlands and north of the road to Bindon, some enclosures showing on pasture, possibly with deserted building traces. Site lies at the head of combe.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3328-3329 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

A complex of earthwork banks and ditches is visible, some obscured by scrub.

Royal Air Force, 1963, RAF/58/5607, NMR RAF/58/5607 F21 347-348 22-JAN-1963 (Aerial Photograph). SDV355896.

A complex of earthwork banks and ditches is clearly visible in low light conditions and under snow.

Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography, 1969, CUCAP AXB, CUCAP AXB 30 02-APR-1969 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356435.

The site appears to have been levelled. Many of the former earthworks are clearly visible as soilmarks with drag marks from the passing of the plough.

Keene, B., 1986, Possible Medieval Site, Dowlands Farm (Worksheet). SDV122161.

The field was visibly uneven and bumpy in 1955 (B. Keene).
Uneven ground still survives here: site interpreted as possibly that of medieval settlement (Miss Gosney 1986).
Sketch map on reverse.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 1374 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Site of possible medieval settlement lies at head of a combe. Enclosures and possible building traces noted in pasture and site visible as soilmark on Aerial Photographs. Uneven bumpy ground.
SMR.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY2890 17-JUN-2006 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352652.

Two curvilinear dark cropmarks are visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

A complex of banks and ditches is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1963, and as cropmarks on aerial photographs taken from 1969 to 2006. The complex is most clearly visible on aerial photographs taken in 1963, when snow cover and low light conditions allow the greatest detail to be seen. Several embanked possible holloways run through the complex, linking roughly rectilinear embanked compartments of varying size (from 12 by 4 metres to 26 by 36 metres), the smallest of which may be the remains of house platforms. A narrow curvilinear bank aligned approximately north to south does not seem to fit into the layout, perhaps overlying some of the earthworks in the centre of the complex, and this is likely to be a later field boundary, depicted on the Tithe map. The complex is interpreted as a possible deserted medieval village, with a core covering circa 2.5 hectares. Although the earthworks appear to have been levelled by ploughing during the later 1960s, cropmark evidence from 2006 suggests that below-ground remains are very likely to survive. Further work such as geophysical survey would be useful to better define the extant and detail of the layout.

Griffith, F. M., 27/03/1980, Soilmark of Possible Deserted Medieval Settlement (Worksheet). SDV358948.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV122155	Migrated Record: 2/4/1969.
SDV122157	Aerial Photograph:
SDV122158	Aerial Photograph:
SDV122159	Aerial Photograph:
SDV122161	Worksheet: Keene, B.. 1986. Possible Medieval Site, Dowlands Farm. Devon County Sites and Monuments Register. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351568	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003-2004. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. Digital + Mixed Archive Material. Site No. 1374.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3328-3329 13-APR-1946.
SDV352652	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY2890 17-JUN-2006.
SDV355896	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1963. RAF/58/5607. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/5607 F21 347-348 22-JAN-1963. [Mapped feature: #73359 ]
SDV356435	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography. 1969. CUCAP AXB. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography. Photograph (Paper). CUCAP AXB 30 02-APR-1969.
SDV358948	Worksheet: Griffith, F. M.. 27/03/1980. Soilmark of Possible Deserted Medieval Settlement. Devon County Sites and Monuments Register. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV358949	Worksheet: Unknown. 18/09/1980. DMV. Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology Register. Worksheet + Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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