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Summary

The remains of ridges made for fruit tree planting and improved drainage probably from the post-medieval period to the mid-19th century, were visible as low parallel earthwork banks on aerial photographs of the 1940s on the west-facing slopes west of Gorwell Farm, Hemyock parish.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1890 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Maps and Apportionments (Website). SDV349463.

The banks fall within plots 2178 and 2188. Only the latter was listed as an orchard.

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

Neither plot is depicted as an orchard.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3299-3300 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Linear earthwork banks were visible.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2491, RAF/CPE/UK/2491 RP 3196-3197 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359578.

Linear earthwork banks were visible.

Hunting Surveys Limited, 1982, HSL/UK/82/45, HSL/UK/82/45 V 993-994 27-AUG-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359526.

The linear earthwork banks remained visible in the eastern, higher plot.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1509 4-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359490.

The linear banks remained visible in the eastern, higher plot as low earthworks.

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 made for fruit tree planting and improved drainage probably from the post-medieval period to the mid-19th century, were visible as low parallel earthwork banks on aerial photographs of 1947 and 1948 on the west-facing slopes west of Gorwell Farm, Hemyock parish
The banks were visible in two rectangular plots, spaced up to approximately 6 metres apart and were aligned cross-contour. Neither plot contained any tree cover in the late 1940s. The Tithe Apportionment for Hemyock named the lower plot, plot 2188 as Lower Meadow and listed as meadow and furze. The higher plot adjacent to the east (2178) was named and listed as cultivated as an orchard. Neither plot was depicted as an orchard on the Ordnance Survey 25 inch First Edition map.
The earthworks can therefore be interpreted the remains of orchard tree planting banks, within one orchard what had passed out of use prior to the 1840s and a second that remained in use until the middle of the 9th century but had been cleared by circa 1890. It is possible the earthworks indicate two consecutive phases of orchard management.
The banks within the later orchard remain visible on aerial photographs of 1982 and digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010, and therefore probably survive as slight earthworks.

Sources / Further Reading

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
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3299-3300 11-APR-1947.
SDV359578	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2491. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2491 RP 3196-3197 11-MAR-1948. [Mapped feature: #76121 ]
SDV359526	Aerial Photograph: Hunting Surveys Limited. 1982. HSL/UK/82/45. Hunting Aero Surveys Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). HSL/UK/82/45 V 993-994 27-AUG-1982.
SDV359490	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1509 4-MAY-2010.
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV349463	Website: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Maps and Apportionments. http://devon.gov.uk. Website.

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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