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Summary

The remains of ridges made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage of post-medieval to 20th century date were visible as low, parallel earthwork banks on aerial photographs and digital images derived from aerial photographs, on the west-facing slopes south-west of Beacon village, Luppitt parish.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks of medieval or post medieval ridge and furrow cultivation or orchard banks at Bellacre Copse

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10SE/250

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) RIDGE AND FURROW (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1880 AD (Between))

Full description

PALMER, 1992, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV107295.

Ridged cultivation identified as a cropmark (palmer, 1992).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV107380.

Des=palmer, r. /blackdown hills a on b aerial photographic assessment/1992.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV107381.

Aph=cuc/rc8-kndc53.

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

Plot 1142 was under pasture at the time of the Tithe Map and Apportionment but the field is called Great Orchard, so these may be orchard banks.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

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

Vis=09/09/1992 (simpson and noble). Approximately 8 low ridges are visible in the w end of the field, running ne-sw, of about 6m width. A field boundary shown on the os 6" (1891) map is visible as a depression and forms the n boundary to the ridged area.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1704 04-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359490.

Linear parallel earthwork banks were visible adjacent to an irregularly shaped pit.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

Linear parallel earthwork banks were visible.

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 were visible as low, parallel earthwork banks on aerial photographs and digital images derived from aerial photographs, on the west-facing slopes south-west of Beacon village, Luppitt parish.
The banks were spaced 6 to 7 metres apart and were aligned roughly cross-contour, presumably to aid drainage. The earthworks correspond to a plot listed on the Tithe Apportionments as an orchard (plot 1142), and are interpreted as ridges made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage. The bank earthworks are therefore at the latest mid-19th century in date and could be significantly older. The plot is not depicted as an orchard on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map and had therefore probably been cleared of trees by the late 19th century. It was certainly cleared of trees by the late 1940s. The banks remain visible as low earthworks on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010 and 2014.
A possible irregularly shaped pit defines the eastern edge of the orchard banks. This might be the remains of a former extractive pit or small quarry; the establishment of orchards on former extractive sites is a recurring theme of the survey.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV107295	Migrated Record: PALMER, 1992.
SDV107380	Migrated Record:
SDV107381	Aerial Photograph:
SDV324187	Archive - Survey: Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit. 1992 - 1993. Blackdown Hills Survey Archive. Blackdown Hills Survey Archive. A4 Unbound.
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).
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
SDV359479	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2014. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital.
SDV359490	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1704 04-MAY-2010. [Mapped feature: #92753 ]

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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