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Summary

A series of earthwork banks and ditches are visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s and 1950s on a combe floor to the north of Dawlish Warren. The earthworks have been interpreted as evidence of a simple bed-work watermeadow system of probable post-medieval to nineteenth century date. The earthworks have probably been largely levelled by the development of the combe as a holiday park.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER MEADOW (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 3045-3046 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

Earthwork banks and ditches or channels are visible extending across the combe to the south of the stream.

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/541/520, RAF/541/520 3008-3009 13-MAY-1950 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352112.

Earthwork banks and ditches or channels are visible extending across the combe to the south of the stream.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coast Observatory SX9778_20120917ortho.ecw 17-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

Extensive tree cover obscures the northern side of the combe whilst the south has been developed for holiday accomodation.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

A series of earthwork banks and ditches are visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s and 1950s on a combe floor to the north of Dawlish Warren.
With the exception of a possible NW-SE aligned drain at circa SX97007865, the earthworks do not correspond with any features depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition 25 inch map. However, the very eastern end of the field where it abuts Dawlish Warren road is symbolised as marsh. The Ordnance Survey second edition 25 inch map characterises the entire valley bottom as marshland.
It is possible that the linear earthwork banks are the remains of a simple 19th century bedwork watermeadow, the ridges containing the water channels or ‘carriers’, flanked by ditches that were the return channels, or ‘tail drains’. If so, it is likely that the system was short lived and passed out of use by the end of the century. Such systems are rare in Devon.
The earthworks are most clearly visible to the south of the stream that flows along the combe to meet the Exe to the west. Slight earthwork evidence to the north of the stream might support the interpretation that the system of ditches extended across the combe, but this area was largely tree covered in the 1940s and 1950s and is completely obscured by vegetation by 2012. The earthworks south of the stream have probably been largely levelled by the development of the combe as a holiday park. A modern path cut through this woodland alongside the stream might provide access to assess the survival of earthworks to the north of the stream and to assess their function.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coast Observatory SX9778_20120917ortho.ecw 17-SEP-2012.
SDV352112	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF/541/520. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/541/520 3008-3009 13-MAY-1950.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 3045-3046 13-APR-1946. [Mapped feature: #64706 ]

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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