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Summary

Former strip field baulks are visible on aerial photographs of 1947 as subtle curvilinear earthwork banks to the south of Shelfin Cleave, Ilfracombe parish. The earthworks are interpreted as evidence of enclosure based on strip field cultivation of probable medieval date.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks of medieval strip field/ridge and furrow, pre-dating Parish Tithe Map c. 1840, south of Shelfin Cleave

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RIDGE AND FURROW? (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)
• STRIP FIELD (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

James Webb, 1840, Map for the commutation of Tithes in the Parish of Ilfracombe in the county of Devon (Cartographic). SDV350383.

The earthworks do not correspond with any depicted field boundaries.

Royal Air Force, 19/05/1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2082, NMR RAF/CPE/UK/2082 4068-4069 19-MAY-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350392.

Curvilinear earthwork banks are visible.

Turner, S.C., 2005 - 2006, Devon Historic Landscape Characterisation Mapping (Cartographic). SDV349122.

The land in which the earthworks are visible has been characterised as post-medieval enclosure and rough ground, but sits alongside an extensive area of Barton Fields, from which it has probably been enclosed.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011 - 2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

Subtle curvilinear earthwork banks visible on aerial photographs of 1947 to the south of Shelfin Cleave, Ilfracombe parish, are interpreted as evidence of enclosure based on strip field cultivation of probable medieval origin. The earthworks, possibly the almost levelled remains of earthwork strip field baulks or broad ridge and furrow, cross the contours of a gentle north-facing slope in a roughly north-south direction overlooking the steeper slopes of a sharply incised combe. They earthworks curve gently to the north-west, the curve becoming slightly more pronounced towards the north end as the banks approach the steeper combe slopes. The banks are spaced on average approximately 20 metres apart, the spacing reducing to 10-12 metres towards the northern end. A straight and narrow north-east to south-west orientated bank crossing the curvilinear boundaries at their northern end might be evidence of an intermediate phase of enclosure. Four small pits, possibly quarries of later date, are interspersed amongst the earthworks, recorded seperately. The banks do not correspond with any boundaries depicted on the Tithe map for Ilfracombe and had therefore probably passed out of use some considerable time prior to 1840, superseded by the regular pattern of post-medieval enclosure visible today. Nonetheless, the earlier pattern of curved boundary enclosure is reflected in the extant Barton Field enclosure boundary surviving immediately to the west. The earthworks are visible only due to very low light conditions on the aerial photographs of 1947, and are not visible on any later aerial photographs available to the survey. Field investigation is recommended to assess the survival of the earthwork banks.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011 - 2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349122	Cartographic: Turner, S.C.. 2005 - 2006. Devon Historic Landscape Characterisation Mapping. Digital.
SDV350383	Cartographic: James Webb. 1840. Map for the commutation of Tithes in the Parish of Ilfracombe in the county of Devon. Tithe Map.
SDV350392	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 19/05/1947. RAF/CPE/UK/2082. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/CPE/UK/2082 4068-4069 19-MAY-1947. [Mapped feature: #62620 ]

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

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