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Summary

The remains of probable post-medieval to 20th century ridges made for fruit tree planting and drainage were visible as earthwork banks to the immediate south-west of Godfrey’s Farm, Rockbeare, on aerial photographs of the 1940s and digital images derived from lidar data. The ridges probably survive as low earthwork banks.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) ORCHARD (Post Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1540 AD to 1963 AD (Between))
• (Former Type) RIDGE AND FURROW (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

The banks fall within a field depicted as an orchard.

Ordnance Survey, 1880s, Ordnance Survey (Cartographic). SDV848.

Site of an orchard shown on OS 25" (1880s & 1906) maps in the southern half of the field to the west of 'Godfrey's Farm'. Other details: Also on OS 25"(1906) map.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4064-4065 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356902.

The banks were visible under light orchard planting.

Ordnance Survey, 1966, OS/66185 V, OS/66185 V 333-334 22-JUL-1966 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357577.

The orchard has been cleared of trees

Environment Agency, 1998-2012, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution), LIDAR SY0094 Environment Agency JPG DSM 19-Dec-2005 (Cartographic). SDV357034.

The ridges remain visble as slight earthwork banks.

Archaeological Services WYAS, 2003, East Devon new community, 3.12 (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV323042.

A geophysical survey undertaken in 2003 found faint linear anomolies confirming the presence of ridge & furrow ploughing in the southern half of the field. Other details: Block 15.

Waterman CPM Ltd, 2006, Cranbrook, Devon: Archaeological Mitigation Strategy, 5 (Report - non-specific). SDV345274.

Initial geophysical survey identified some potential sites which have since proved to have a natural or modern origin. In the light of the results of the trial trenching, 'ridge and furrow' earthworks have been reinterpreted as the remains of post-medieval orchards shown on historic maps.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

The remains of probable post-medieval to 20th century ridges made for fruit tree planting and drainage were visible as earthwork banks to the immediate south-west of Godfrey’s Farm, Rockbeare, on aerial photographs of the 1940s and digital images derived from lidar data.
The banks were approximately 4 to 5 metres wide and aligned obliquely cross contour. They fell within the area of an orchard as depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition 25inch map. The orchard remained lightly planted in 1946 but was cleared of trees by 1966. The relict ridges remain visble as slight earthwork banks on digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2005, and probably survive as low earthwork banks.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV323042	Report - Geophysical Survey: Archaeological Services WYAS. 2003. East Devon new community. Archaeological Services WYAS Report. 1174. A4 Stapled + Digital. 3.12.
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV345274	Report - non-specific: Waterman CPM Ltd. 2006. Cranbrook, Devon: Archaeological Mitigation Strategy. Waterman CPM Ltd. H1173_08c. A4 Bound. 5.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV356902	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4064-4065 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #99717 ]
SDV357034	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2012. LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SY0094 Environment Agency JPG DSM 19-Dec-2005.
SDV357577	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1966. OS/66185 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/66185 V 333-334 22-JUL-1966.
SDV848	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880s. Ordnance Survey. 25".

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV2553 - East Devon new community
• EDV4910 - A Programme of Archaeological Assessment and Evaluation between Blue Hayes and Southbrook, East Devon
• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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