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Summary

Prehistoric field system on Deckler's Cliff. Described as one of the best system of small fields in the county.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021253: Coaxial field systems and associated later remains between Deckler's Cliff and Gammon Head
• Scheduled Monument 1021253: Coaxial field systems and associated later remains between Deckler's Cliff and Gammon Head
• SHINE: Prehistoric enclosure on Deckler's Cliff

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 444270
• National Trust SMR: 100586
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX73NE/21
• Old SAM Ref: 33774

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, Devon Air Photograph Transcriptions (Cartographic). SDV344181.

Map object previously based on this Source.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890, 2015-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

Other details: HER 63/10-11.

Le Messurier, B., 1982, Field Banks (Worksheet). SDV346453.

A patter of field banks, looking rather like lynchets, is visible on the inland west-facing part of deckler's cliff from the Gara Rock Hotel. They are overgrown with vegetation, not endangered by ploughing, and made of large stones.

Collings, A. G., 1984, Field System (Worksheet). SDV346454.

Field system of some 20 plots, separated either by stone walls up to 1.3 metres high or by lynchets.

Griffith, F. M., 1985, DAP/FQ, 5-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV147851.

Snell, R., 1986, Green Lanes in Devon Project (Un-published). SDV8442.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV346455.

Site visit by R. Robinson and F.M. Griffith on 12th December 1988. The field system remains in excellent condition and on the north facing slope the lynchets survive up to some 3.5 metres high. The field system clearly continues into the modern fields north of the stream. A few lynchets/field boundaries to the north of the stream survive in the present pattern to show continuation of the southern alignment, while other, lower lynchets now ploughed and grassed over could be seen running north-south under favourable lighting conditions. One of the best preserved systems of small fields in the county.

Horner, B., 1992, DAP/VQ, 31-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV292050.

1992, Untitled Source (Photograph). SDV346458.

Geonex UK, 1992, Untitled Source, 31/158/92/116 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346456.

Extent of field system visible on Geonex aerial photograph. Other details: 1:25, 000.

Devon County Council, 1996, DAP/AAK, 5,6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346459.

Environment Agency, 1998-2008, Lidar Data JPEG Tile SX73NE DSM, LIDAR SX73NE DSM Enviornment Agency MAY-1998-APR-2008 (Cartographic). SDV351145.

The remains of Bronze Age coaxial field systems are visible as earthwork banks.

Waterhouse, R., 2000, East Portlemouth Heritage Appraisal: An Archaeological History of the Parish, 9-10 (Report - non-specific). SDV340515.

Extensive Bronze Age coaxial field system probably dating from 1900-1200BC with long parallet field banks from coast between Portlemouth Down and Deckler's Cliff northwards to the ridge between Newhouse Cottages and East Portlemough village. The system was 1.85 kilometres wide as the southern end and 1.2 kilometres wide at the northern end.

Newman, P., 2003, Deckler's Cliff Field System, East Portlemouth (Report - Survey). SDV346460.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2004, Coaxial Field Systems and Associated Later Remains between Deckler's Cliff and Gammon Head (Schedule Document). SDV340277.

[Part of] the coaxial field systems and associated later remains between Deckler's Cliff and Gammon Head. Many of the fields were ploughed during the medieval period, forming lynchets on the valley side. Their boundaries vary between 3.0 metres and 5.0 metres wide and are from 1.0 to 2.0 metres high, containing occasional vertical earthfast stone slabs, set close together. Other details: Part of 33774.

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

Field system shows very clearly on modern aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

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

Coaxial field system boundaries of probable later prehistoric date between Gara Rock and Gammon Head are visible as a series of earthwork banks on aerial photographs from 1946 onwards. The main surviving elements of the field system are located within a steep sloping valley at Deckler’s Cliff and are displayed as roughly northnortheast-southsouthwest and eastsoutheast to westnorthwest aligned banks measuring between 5-8m wide and forming small rectangular shaped fields. Smaller pens possibly for keeping animals are also visible. Outlying remnants of the field system are also likely present to the west at Gara Rock and to the east at Gammon Head and are visible on Lidar images of between 1998-2008. There was no clear evidence for any associated smaller discrete features, such as hut circles, on aerial photographs or lidar images.

Pink, F., 2014-2015, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV357736.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV140289	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. CPE/UK 1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 2015-6.
SDV147851	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1985. DAP/FQ. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 5-7.
SDV292050	Aerial Photograph: Horner, B.. 1992. DAP/VQ. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 31-2.
SDV340277	Schedule Document: Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2004. Coaxial Field Systems and Associated Later Remains between Deckler's Cliff and Gammon Head. The Schedule of Monuments. A4 Stapled.
SDV340515	Report - non-specific: Waterhouse, R.. 2000. East Portlemouth Heritage Appraisal: An Archaeological History of the Parish. A4 Stapled + Digital. 9-10.
SDV341189	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky. 2006 - 2007. Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007. Bluesky. Photograph (Digital).
SDV344181	Cartographic: Devon County Council. Devon Air Photograph Transcriptions. Devon Air Photograph Transcriptions. Map (Digital).
SDV346129	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2011. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital).
SDV346453	Worksheet: Le Messurier, B.. 1982. Field Banks. Worksheet.
SDV346454	Worksheet: Collings, A. G.. 1984. Field System. Worksheet.
SDV346455	Personal Comment: Griffith, F. M.. 1988. Not Applicable.
SDV346456	Aerial Photograph: Geonex UK. 1992. Geonex Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 31/158/92/116.
SDV346458	Photograph: 1992. Slide.
SDV346459	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1996. DAP/AAK. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 5,6.
SDV346460	Report - Survey: Newman, P.. 2003. Deckler's Cliff Field System, East Portlemouth. English Heritage Survey Report. AI/16/2003. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV351145	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2008. Lidar Data JPEG Tile SX73NE DSM. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX73NE DSM Enviornment Agency MAY-1998-APR-2008. [Mapped feature: #81439 ]
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
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014-2015. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV8442	Un-published: Snell, R.. 1986. Green Lanes in Devon Project. Green Lanes in Devon Project. Not applicable. Unknown.

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)
• EDV5383 - Assessment of Gammon Head
• EDV6587 - Archaeological Assessment of Land between Bolt Heat and Bolt Tail

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