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Summary

The remains of ridges probably made for fruit tree planting and drainage improvement in an orchard of post-medieval period to the 20th century were visible on aerial photographs as earthwork banks to the south of higher Woodhayes Farm, Whimple. The relict ridges probably survive as low earthwork banks within a recently established orchard.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1967 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Maps and Apportionments (Website). SDV349463.

The plot of land is listed as Hill Orchard.

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

The banks and quarry pit fall within a depicted plot of land.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4059-4060 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356902.

Relict earthwork banks are visible.

BKS Surveys Ltd, 1967, BKS/2822, BKS/2822 V 3045-3046 14-MAR-1967 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354836.

The earthwork banks are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1996, OS/96566, OS/96566 V 36-37 8-MAY-1996 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358470.

The relict banks and quarry pit are newly replanted.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY0496 22-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356259.

The relict banks and quarry pit have been reabsorbed within rencet orchard planting.

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

The remains of ridges probably made for fruit tree planting and drainage improvement in an orchard of post-medieval to the 20th century were visible on aerial photographs as earthwork banks to the south of higher Woodhayes Farm, Whimple.
The banks measured approximately 5 metres wide and were aligned north to south across the contours of north facing hill, separated by a short and narrow bank, probably the remains of a former field boundary.
The banks do not correspond with any orchards depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition 25inch map, but fall within a plot depicted on the Tithe Map for Whimple and listed in the Apportionments as Hill Orchard. It is therefore likely that the orchard passed out of use between circa 1840 and the 1880s. A large pit, probably the remains of a former quarry was located within this same plot and was visible as an earthwork immediately adjacent to the tree planting banks. The reuse of quarries for orchards seems to be a common occurrence, possibly as they might have provided shelter for the fruit trees. The pit is recorded separately.
The banks are not clearly visible on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010, but probably survive as low earthworks within a recently established orchard.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
SDV349463	Website: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Maps and Apportionments. http://devon.gov.uk. Website.
SDV354836	Aerial Photograph: BKS Surveys Ltd. 1967. BKS/2822. BKS Surveys Ltd. Photograph (Paper). BKS/2822 V 3045-3046 14-MAR-1967.
SDV356259	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY0496 22-MAY-2010.
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 4059-4060 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #71811 ]
SDV358470	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1996. OS/96566. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/96566 V 36-37 8-MAY-1996.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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