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Summary

Former field boundaries of probable medieval origin were visible on aerial photographs as extensive curvilinear cropmarks of ditched features on the hill slopes to the west of Bowls Cross and Belfield House, Huxham and Poltimore parishes.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 448122

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1840 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The cropmarks correspond in part with depicted field boundaries.

Devon County Council, 1984, DAP 13497, DAP 13497/Q10 23-JUN-1984 (Q) (Aerial Photograph). SDV358833.

Curvilinear cropmarks of buried ditched features are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Devon County Council, 1984, DAP 8469, DAP 8469/4 27-JUN-1984 (AD) (Aerial Photograph). SDV358832.

Curvilinear cropmarks of buried ditched features are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Historic England, 1984, NMR 2162, NMR 2162/1158 02-JUL-1984 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357541.

Curvilinear cropmarks of buried ditched features are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1992, OS/92359 V, OS/92359 V 28-29 20-JUN-1992 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358055.

Curvilinear cropmarks of buried ditched features are visible. Map object based partly on this source.

English Heritage, 2010, NMR 27248, NMR 27248/042, 045 28-JUN-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359142.

Curvilinear cropmarks of buried ditched features are visible.

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

Former field boundaries were visible on aerial photographs as extensive curvilinear cropmarks of ditched features on the hill slopes to the west of Bowls Cross and Belfield House, Huxham and Poltimore parishes.
A number of the cropmarks correspond with field boundaries depicted on the Tithe Maps for Huxham and Poltimore parishes, supporting the interpretation that these boundaries date at least to the mid-19th century. A significant number of the remaining visible cropmarks are not depicted on the Tithe Maps, and some had indeed been superseded by more regular boundaries by this date, supporting the interpretation that they had been removed some time prior to the mid-19th century. It is likely that the visible cropmarks are evidence of a curvilinear field pattern of probable medieval origin that used the contours of the hills to define its dominant axis. The only visible straight lengths of cropmark were visible on the saddle of relatively level ground between the two hills, along which the road passes and where the boundaries followed the parish boundary for a short distance. Narrower and more regular linear cropmarks are visible intersecting the curvilinear boundaries, largely in the Poltimore half of the field pattern. These may be evidence of less substantial boundaries subdividing the fields. Some of the cropmarks had previously been recorded under two separate records, linked here as child records.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
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
SDV357541	Aerial Photograph: Historic England. 1984. NMR 2162. NMR Aerial Photograph. Print. NMR 2162/1158 02-JUL-1984.
SDV358055	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1992. OS/92359 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/92359 V 28-29 20-JUN-1992.
SDV358832	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1984. DAP 8469. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DAP 8469/4 27-JUN-1984 (AD).
SDV358833	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1984. DAP 13497. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DAP 13497/Q10 23-JUN-1984 (Q).
SDV359142	Aerial Photograph: English Heritage. 2010. NMR 27248. English Heritage. Digital. NMR 27248/042, 045 28-JUN-2010.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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