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Summary

The remains of ridges, probably made for tree planting or improved drainage from the post-medieval period to the early 20th century were visible on aerial photographs as low and narrow parallel earthwork banks on the south-east facing slopes north of Ridge House, Stockland.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1996 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The plot is depicted as an orchard.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

The plot is depicted as an orchard.

Ordnance Survey, 1996, OS/96569, OS/96569 V 96-97 08-MAY-1996 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359324.

Narrow parallel earthwork banks are visible as slight earthworks over part of the former orchard area.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST2302 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

The banks remain visible as very slight earthworks and cropmarks.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

The remains of ridges, probably made for tree planting or improved drainage from the post-medieval period to the early 20th century were visible on aerial photographs as low and narrow parallel earthwork banks on the south-east facing slopes north of Ridge House, Stockland.
The visible banks extended over an area of almost 0.4 hectares and were spaced nearly 7 metres apart. They fell within a larger area depicted as an orchard plot on the Tithe Map for Stockland and the OS First Edition 25 inch map are therefore interpreted as former ridges made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage. However, it is unclear from the later map how much of the plot was given over to orchard planting by this date. They were aligned cross contour, presumably to aid drainage towards combe and stream to the south-east.
By 1947 the tree density within the orchard was low revealing slight evidence of the underlying earthwork banks, but these were most clearly visible on aerial photographs of 1996 after all trees had been cleared from the former orchard plot.
The arrangement of the banks remains visible very slight earthworks and cropmarks on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2014.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital). [Mapped feature: #74801 ]
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
SDV359324	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1996. OS/96569. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. OS/96569 V 96-97 08-MAY-1996.
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359479	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2014. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST2302 08-SEP-2014.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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