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Summary

Earthwork banks, scarps and platforms have been interpreted by field survey as the remains of a deserted medieval settlement on the north and south-facing combe slopes to the south-west of Ilton Castle Farm. Earthwork banks and hollows identifiable on aerial photographs of 1946 and visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 are more likely to include the remains of field boundaries of medieval date, a opst-medieval catch meadow and features of natural origin.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Deserted medieval settlement at Ilton
• Scheduled Monument 1019947: Medieval settlement, site of quadrangular castle and relict garden between Ilton Farm and Ilton Castle Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 444537
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX74SW/38
• Old SAM County Ref: 1005
• Old SAM Ref: 33788
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX74SW23
• Pastscape: 444537

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• NON ANTIQUITY (Unknown date)
• (Former Type) DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• CATCH MEADOW? (Post Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1540 AD to 1946 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, Ilton Castle Earthworks (Plan - measured). SDV343437.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 308 (Monograph). SDV1312.

Ilton is Edetona or Eddetone in Domesday Book, and is recorded in various sources until 1374.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

Visible on aerial photographs. Other details: Also 4039.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 4019-4020 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Irregularly shaped hollows are visible as earthworks.

Department of Environment, 1977, Deserted Medieval Settlement North-west of Ilton Castle Farm (Schedule Document). SDV343433.

Site visit 31st March 1977. Earthwork remains of a deserted medieval settlement stretch for circa 600 metres along the slope running down to the stream, consisting of a series of rectangular platforms parallel to the valley bottom, and a number of banks at right angles to these platforms. The two most easterly fields are under 'permanent' pasture: the two westerly are under pasture but have suffered from ploughing. Other details: Map.

Silvester, R. J., 1978, Ilton Castle (Worksheet). SDV343434.

Field survey by Exeter University Extra Mural Department, of the earthworks, which also extend in the form of terraces into the fields east (downstream) of the scheduled area. Tracks, terraces, leats and platforms identified, including a large flat terrace thought to be the site of 'Ilton Castle'. Parchmarks of possible stone foundations were also observed on the site in 1976 . Other details: Sketch plan.

Robinson, R., 1982, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV345608.

Site visit by Department of Environment Field Monument Warden on 23rd April 1982.

Quinnell, H., 1984, Deserted Medieval Village (Worksheet). SDV343438.

Visit suggests that earthwork of deserted medieval village extend slightly further than planned. Slight platform and possible hollow way in field to north-east of scheduled area at SX72804055. Also scoop at approximately SX72504028, possibly a building platform or quarry. The two north-east fields are now a caravan site; the south-east two under permanent pasture.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1987 - 2004, SX74SW23 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345793.

Site visit 21st January 1987. The best preserved, sharply defined, earthworks lie in a circa 1.0 hectare field centred at SX72614045. The field was formerly an orchard so it has probably never been comprehensively ploughed although some damage occurred when the trees were uprooted. Five linear scarps from 0.5 metres to 1.4 metres in height lie along the slope and two have marked annular deviations into the hillslope forming rectangular plots. The flat turf-covered terraces are from 170 metres to 420 metres wide, resembling field plots. Area has been altered that is the stream has been culverted, the pond and well infilled and being used as an agricultural dump. The pasture field of circa 1.5 hectares has long been regularly ploughed. Some natural features are apparent that is a major scarp up to 2 metres high and three large scoops along the slope formed by spring sapping. A number of low, spread earthen banks sub divide parts of the fields especially three linear channels which are sharply defined on the aerial photographs. Evident on the ground as sinuous narrow terraces up to 0.7 metres wide, possibly ploughed down, they were probably used as water channels to irrigate the early spring pasture and date from the mid 19th century. It is now difficult to discern an ordered field pattern on these steep undulating slopes.

Turton, S. D., 1991, Archaeological Assessment of SWW Salcombe to Oldaway Tongue Water Pipeline, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV169067.

Reed, S. J. + Turton, S. D., 1991, Archaeological Recording on the SWW Salcombe to Oldaway Tongue Water Pipeline, 2 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV166340.

Pipeline passed immediately adjacent to westernmost field of scheduled ancient monument. The west boundary was confirmed as a relatively modern wall. No medieval or earlier deposits identified during stripping. Six sherds of post-medieval pot recovered from topsoil. It was not possible to observe trenching in this area.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7240 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Possible banks, platforms and irregularly shaped hollows are identifiable as earthworks.

Waterhouse, R., 2000, Ilton Castle Earthworks (Plan - measured). SDV345794.

Waterhouse, R. E., 2000, Keynedon Barton, Sherford, Kingsbridge, 127-200 (Article in Serial). SDV336355.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2002, Medieval Settlement, Site of Quadrangular Castle and Relict Garden Between Ilton Farm and Ilton Castle Farm (Schedule Document). SDV343435.

The monument, which falls into two areas of protection divided by a road, includes relict earthworks of a deserted medieval settlement, a quadrangular medieval castle, a surrounding garden of post-medieval date and two fishponds. It lies on both sides of a shallow valley, which drains into the Kingsbridge estuary, 850 metres to the east. The settlement, which lies in the western part of the monument, is in two parts. The western part lies in a field at the head of the valley, south of Ilton Farm, where the gently sloping ground around two springs contains earthworks of at least 13 small rectangular buildings. These are partly terraced into the hillside and partly raised on low platforms. They measure from 7 metres to 10 metres long, from 3.5 metres to 7 metres wide, and are terraced or raised up to 1 metre high. The eastern part lies on the north side of the valley, east of Ilton Farm, where several earthwork platforms are arranged along the slope. At least three sites of small rectangular buildings survive among them, with a hollow way towards the west, which runs south towards a small cob threshing barn on the opposite side of the stream. The hollow way measures 28 metres long, 5 metres wide and 1 metre deep. Cultivation terraces along the north and south sides of the monument measure up to 2.5 metres high and from 5 metres to 10 metres wide. Several 18th century watermeadow leats cut across the earthworks, with a rectangular pond serving one of them; this measures 22 metres long and 10 metres wide. A medieval quadrangular castle was licenced to Sir John de Cheverston in 1335 and stood on a terrace towards the eastern end of the monument. The terrace measures 30 metres from east to west and 25 metres from north to south. A description, made when the castle walls were demolished in 1780, states that it was sub-rectangular with square towers at the corners. Slight earthworks show the positions of the towers and parchmarks confirm its location. Earthwork terraces of an extensive formal garden climb the valley side to the east, west and north of the castle. There are two lines of terraces, lying side by side. To the west are six narrow terraces, measuring 20 metres wide and from 0.7 metres to 1.2 metres high, followed by four terraces of varying width, the largest and lowest measuring 32 metres wide and 25 metres long, immediately west of the castle site. The second terrace continues across the rear of the castle, 105 metres to the end of the site, and measures 14 metres wide and up to 2 metres high. The upper terrace is 8 metres wide, up to 1.5 metres high, and continues for 125 metres, the full length of the gardens. It has a short double stepped terrace at its west end, 33 metres long and 0.8 metres high. Traces of post-medieval hedgebanks cross the site in various places. South of the castle and the west end of the garden, are the sites of two large sub-rectangular fish ponds, the western of which measures 42 metres long by 28 metres wide and 0.5 metres deep. A large heavy earthwork dam at its east end is 8 metres wide, falling 2.5 metres to the site of the second pond, which is now buried beneath modern farm buildings and a farmyard. It measures approximately 22 metres long and 25 metres wide with the remains of a low dam at its west end, 6 metres wide and surviving up to 0.5 metres high. The two ponds were used as an ornamental lake, creating the impression of a moat in front of the castle. Other details: Map.

National Monuments Record, 2009, 444537 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343446.

The earthwork remains of a deserted medieval settlement, a quadrangular castle, an associated garden and two fishponds. Other details: SX74SW23. Record last updated: 2004.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 108 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Generally satisfactory condition, but with minor localised problems.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 101 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

A series of roughly north-north-west to south-south-east aligned banks are identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 as subtle earthworks up to 7m wide and 60m long crossing the south-facing combe slopes to the south-west of Ilton Castle Farm. Lateral banks define at least three rectilinear platforms or terraces at circa SX7235040273. The visible earthworks do not correspond with any boundary depicted on the Tithe Map for Malborough. The banks are interpreted as probably the remains of field boundaries of medieval origin that had been removed by the early 19th century.
A north-north-west to south-south-east aligned hollow, adjacent to a possible former field boundary at circa SX7238040290 was previously interpreted as a possible hollow way. Two similar, if narrower hollows are identifiable to the north-east. These linear hollows might be evidence of scour from spring-lines.
Irregularly shaped earthwork hollows are also identifiable on the north-east facing slopes near the head of the valley, south of Ilton Farm. These have previously been interpreted as building platforms, evidence of a deserted settlement. No platforms or regular landscaping that could be interpreted as settlement evidence is identifiable as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1946 or the lidar derived visualisations and it is more likely that the visible hollows formed around the springs rising in this area. Linear hollow or ditches visible at circa SX72324014 are probably the remains of possible catch meadow gutters.
The post-medieval garden earthworks at Ilton Castle are recorded separately as MDV64827.

English Heritage, 26/04/2013, Application for Scheduled Monument Consent for Medieval Settlement, Quadrangular Castle, and Relict Garden (Correspondence). SDV351116.

Application for Scheduled Monument Consent for proposed works concerning the layering of concrete and an open drain.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 29/04/2013, Scheduled Monument Consent Granted for works on the Medieval Settlement, Quadrangular Castle, and Relict Garden (Correspondence). SDV351117.

Scheduled Monument Consent granted for the proposed works of layering of concrete and an open drain.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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