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Summary

A possible leat of medieval to post-medieval date is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 to 2016 as an earthwork on the west-facing slopes on the south side of Crownhill Down. The earthworks have been destroyed by the expansion of open cast mining on Crownhill Down.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1355192
• National Monuments Record: 1355410
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NE/144

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, 106G/UK/1190, 3252 (Aerial Photograph). SDV170515.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RP 3252-3253 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

A linear ditch is visible as an earthwork.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Map object previously based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 1969, OS/69296, OS/69296 V 018-019 29-JUN-1969 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361475.

A linear ditch is visible as an earthwork.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, SX55NE (Cartographic). SDV337243.

Leat extending from SX56645894 to SX56865943 where it meets the large area of tin streaming. Leat 550 metres long shown on aerial photograph. Map object based on this Source.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5659 31-MAY-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

The earthworks have been destroyed by the expansion of open cast mining on Crownhill Down.

National Monuments Record, 2002, 1355192 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343992.

A dry and silted leat which once conveyed water from the Tory Brook to the Old Bottle Hill Tin Mine. It has been cut by the broad tin stream working and it has at least one leat running of fit. Other details: NMR Number SX56SE214.

National Monuments Record, 2002, 1355410 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343960.

The remains of a field system of Medieval or later origin lie on a west-facing hillslope centred at SX56825931. Two linear earthen banks with strong ditches on the uphill side lie across the slope on rough moorland pasture. The northern end of both banks abut the broad tin streamworks while the southern ends are obscured in dense vegetation. These banks with their upper ditches may have been reused because both resemble leats although there is no indication to the north or south that they extended further. Two transverse banks extend from the upper linear feature. Other fragmentary banks lying to the south-east of this area probably represent an extension of this system. Other details: NMR Number SX55NE30.

Fletcher, M., 2002, The Archaeological Landscape of Crownhill Down and Ridding Down: Survey Report (Report - Survey). SDV343412.

Other details: Figure 3 and Crownhill Down Survey. Map object based on this Source.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5659 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

A linear ditch is visible as an earthwork.

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 linear ditch circa 2m to 3m wide is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 to 2016 as an earthwork on the west-facing slopes on the south side of Crownhill Down. The ditch is intermittently banked on the western, downslope side and roughly follows the contour of the slope between the 160 and 165m contours for approximately 500m south from the southern edge of an extensive area of streamworks (MDV25242). At its southernmost extent, the ditch appears to possibly be overlain by piecemeal enclosure defining a small field system on the southern edge of Crownhill Down (MDV12662).
The ditch is interpreted as a leat of medieval to post-medieval date that probably predates the streamworks to the north, possibly a continuation of MDV43422, the leat known as Wheal Florence Drain, to the north of the streamworks.
The earthworks have been destroyed by the expansion of open cast mining on Crownhill Down.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4559 - Archaeological Landscape of Crownhill Down and Riddding Down
• 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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