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Summary

A medieval enclosure of a possible castle or fortified dwelling is visible as a series of earthwork banks, ditches and possible hollows on aerial photographs of 1982 and on digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2016, at Dunkeswell.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Medieval ovoid enclosure south east of Connett's Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 188713
• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NW/8

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to XVIII - 700 BC to 1800 AD (Between))
• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))
• FORTIFIED ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1975 - 1977, ST10NW (M), 1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV124891.

Field at ST14170769 named "Castle" on Tithe Map and apportionment for Dunkeswell (1841)

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1975 - 1977, ST10NW 8 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV124892.

ST14140770. An ovoid earthwork of 0.25 hectares situated in pasture on a moderately level shelf, with very steep natural slopes to the south east.
The earthwork is internally 44 metres north east/south west by 32 metres north west/south east, and now defined by a very spread bank, externally up to 1.3 metres high at the south west and 0.5 metres high at the north east, with a 0.8 metres high scarp on the south east side. An outer ditch 0.3 metres deep survives to the north east and on the south west.
At ST14160770 a simple entrance gap is suggested by a lowering of the scarp profile. A portion of the perimiter has been destroyed on the north west by a modern dwelling and associated boundary wall.
The interior is very disturbed and undulating, probably as a result of farming activities. A depression in the north east sector may possibly represent a swelling site but this is inconclusive.
Plan, profile and situation suggest a prehistoric 'homestead settlement' classification rather than Medieval in spite of the traditional name 'castle' by which the area is known.
Located during field investigation 30/10/1975

Balkwill, C. J., 1976, North Devon Link Road No 5 (Report - Survey). SDV51056.

Univallate Hillslope enclosure 60 metres by 30 metres. Later prehistoric.

Balkwill, C. J., 1977, Archaeology and Development in Rural Devon, 9 (Monograph). SDV217976.

Univallate hillslope enclosure 60 metres by 30 metres. Later prehistoric.

Silvester, R. J., 1977, Excavations at Dunkeswell, East Devon (Report - Interim). SDV342053.

Small Oval Enclosure in Castle Field. Excavation retrieved 12th or 13th century coarse pottery. External enclosure ditch reached 2 metres depth. Plausible defended manor site.

Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology, 1977, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV124895.

Limited excavation undertaken by R. Silvester in October 1977. Department of Environment (government) inspectors have visited site and are considering scheduling. Other details: File number 25 in smr.

Quinnell, N. V., 1977 - 1993, Unknown (Correspondence). SDV124889.

Terrible condition. ?Iron Age (Unnattributed. Correspondance with OS?)

Silvester, R. J., 1978, Unknown, 186 (Article in Serial). SDV124894.

Small excavation oct 1977 in advance of ploughing. Though morphology and position suggested later prehistoric date, enclosure proved to be medieval.

Silvester, R. J., 1980, An Excavation at Dunkeswell, 53-66 (Article in Serial). SDV348442.

Low bank and shallow ditch mark north perimiter of enclosure. On valley side (east) the bank becomes a scarp with wide platform to east, utilised by a waterchannel/gully which also occurs on south west side. A trench 1metre wide was excavated across the scarp defenses of south perimeter with 4metre square sondage inside. The bank (stony loam + chert lumps) survived to a height of circa 0.5metres and had an irregularly shaped external ditch. Features in the interior were seen but not excavated. Occupation probably mid-late 13th century, although dates of construction and abandonment unknown.12th century pottery stratified below bank. Post-medieval pottery (mainly circa 1680-1750) from topsoil. Possible function/interpretation discussed, with no real conclusion.

Timms, S. C., 1980, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV124893.

Site still surviving as unploughed. Dcra excavations trenches still discernible.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, OS/82219 V, OS/82219 V 1630-31 03-SEP-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357675.

Earthworks of the enclosure are visible.

Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit, 1992 - 1993, Blackdown Hills Survey Archive (Archive - Survey). SDV324187.

Tithe map nos 69, "castle" and 70, "little castle"

Chapman, B., 2005, Hill-Slope Enclosures From the Blackdown Hills, A Case Study, 18-19 (Report - Assessment). SDV342050.

40metres diameter, sub circular valeted platform, positioned on a shallow slope, leading into a steep drop. Included in typology of hillslope enclosures in the Blackdown Hills.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR ST1407 Bluesky International DTM 05-MAY-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

The earthwork enclosure is visible as a series of banks, ditches and possible hollows.

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

A medieval enclosure of a possible castle or fortified site is visible as a series of earthwork banks, ditches and possible hollows on aerial photographs of 1982 and on digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2016, at Dunkeswell. The enclosure occupies an area of approximately 0.23 hectares and is situated within a prominent position on a fairly level plateau and on the edge of a steep southeast sloping natural scarp. The northwest edge of the enclosure has been partly truncated by housing. The earthworks are fairly difficult to accurately define on lidar, but comprise a rectilinear shaped ditch, approximately 6m in width, with inner flanking banks and a partial outer bank along the northeast edge. The inner bank to the northeast appears to additionally curve inwards to form a sub-oval shaped enclosure encompassing a circular depression approximately 7.5m in diameter. This may demarcate the site of a possible dwelling or some such structure. An additional hollow with bank is visible on the southwest side of this inner enclosure, although is of uncertain function. Given the prominent position of the enclosure and nature of the earthworks, the site clearly represents a fortified dwelling of some kind, or a possible castle which is alluded to in the field name evidence here.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV124889	Correspondence: Quinnell, N. V.. 1977 - 1993. Unknown. Unknown.
SDV124891	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1975 - 1977. ST10NW (M). Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index. 1.
SDV124892	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1975 - 1977. ST10NW 8. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.
SDV124893	Personal Comment: Timms, S. C.. 1980. Not Applicable.
SDV124894	Article in Serial: Silvester, R. J.. 1978. Unknown. Medieval Archaeology. 22. Not Applicable. 186.
SDV124895	Worksheet: Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology. 1977. Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology Register. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV217976	Monograph: Balkwill, C. J.. 1977. Archaeology and Development in Rural Devon. Archaeology and Development in Rural Devon. DCRA Publication No. 2. Unknown. 9.
SDV324187	Archive - Survey: Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit. 1992 - 1993. Blackdown Hills Survey Archive. Blackdown Hills Survey Archive. A4 Unbound.
SDV342050	Report - Assessment: Chapman, B.. 2005. Hill-Slope Enclosures From the Blackdown Hills, A Case Study. Community Landscapes Project Report. A4 Stapled + Digital. 18-19.
SDV342053	Report - Interim: Silvester, R. J.. 1977. Excavations at Dunkeswell, East Devon. Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology Report. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV348442	Article in Serial: Silvester, R. J.. 1980. An Excavation at Dunkeswell. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 38. Paperback Volume. 53-66.
SDV357675	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1982. OS/82219 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/82219 V 1630-31 03-SEP-1982.
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
SDV359714	Cartographic: Bluesky International. 2016. LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects. Not applicable. Digital. LIDAR ST1407 Bluesky International DTM 05-MAY-2016. [Mapped feature: #81525 ]
SDV51056	Report - Survey: Balkwill, C. J.. 1976. North Devon Link Road No 5. DCRA Rural Survey.

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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