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Summary

Irregular earthwork mounds, visible on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1986, may have been part of post-medieval salterns, or perhaps ditch clearance material, natural mounds or stock refuges. Some of the mounds appear to have been levelled by agricultural activity or removed in the creation of wetland or scrapes since the 1980s.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Saltworking on reclaimed land of the former (medieval) harbour of the Axe Estuary at Seaton

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SALTERN? (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

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

No features are depicted in this location.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3323-3324 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

Several irregular mounds are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1963, RAF/58/5607, NMR RAF/58/5607 F21 342-343 22-JAN-1963 (Aerial Photograph). SDV355896.

Several irregular mounds are visible as earthworks.

GetMapping, 1999 - 2000, Millennium Map 1999-2000 Getmapping (Aerial Photograph). SDV321648.

No earthwork mounds are visible in these locations.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coast Observatory SY2591_20120917ortho.ecw (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

A large area of wetland is visible centred at SY2486291617.

Environment Agency, 2006, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SY2490 Environment Agency D0064558 21-APR-2006 (Cartographic). SDV355899.

No earthwork mounds are visible in these locations.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY2590 15-AUG-2001 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352652.

Two large scrapes are visible, centred at SY2523790728 and SY2514390693.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2013 - 2014, South Devon Coast RCZAS National Mapping Programme Project Site Visit, 09-MAY-2014 (Site Visit). SDV351142.

The area has been completely reprofiled, and if any remains survive they have been significantly truncated.

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

Three irregular earthwork mounds are visible across Seaton Marshes on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1986. It is possible that these were the site of post medieval salterns, which have been identified along the western edge of the marsh (MDV42593 & MDV42587), but they are not clearly defined and may be natural in origin, or in some cases a more likely explanation is that they resulted from the dumping of material from creation or clearing out of the ditches. As areas of higher ground they may have been used, or re-used, as stock refuges.
Two large scrapes are visible on aerial photographs taken in 2001, centred at SY2523790728 and SY2514390693, and the mounds in this location are extremely unlikely to survive. However two oval shaped earthwork mounds to the north at SY2530791431 may be partially extant, although reduced in size as a result of extensive wetland creation in this area between 2006 and 2012.
Across the marsh the ground undulates with areas of higher and lower land, but no other features are well enough defined to transcribe as part of this survey. It is possible that remains of salterns survive in other parts of the marsh but have not been recognised due to earlier disturbance from thorough drainage of the area in the nineteenth century. A systematic field survey with targeted archaeological evaluation could help to ascertain the distribution of anthropogenic features, and to clarify their date, character and function.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV321648	Aerial Photograph: GetMapping. 1999 - 2000. Millennium Map 1999-2000 Getmapping. Millennium Map. Photograph (Digital).
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
SDV351142	Site Visit: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2013 - 2014. South Devon Coast RCZAS National Mapping Programme Project Site Visit. AC Archaeology. Digital. 09-MAY-2014.
	Linked images:48
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 SY2591_20120917ortho.ecw.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3323-3324 13-APR-1946.
SDV352652	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY2590 15-AUG-2001.
SDV355896	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1963. RAF/58/5607. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/5607 F21 342-343 22-JAN-1963. [Mapped features: #66470 ; #66471 ]
SDV355899	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2006. LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SY2490 Environment Agency D0064558 21-APR-2006.

Associated Monuments

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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