See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Evidence of former orchards of probable post-medieval to 19th century origin was visible as areas of low and narrow parallel earthwork banks and former banks visible as cropmarks, to the north, west and south of Cowley, north of Exeter, on aerial photographs of the 1940s to 2010. The banks were probably made to improve drainage of surface water. They appear to have been levelled on recent aerial photography.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XXI - 1540 AD to 2010 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Orchards were depicted.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Orchards were depicted. Map object based partly on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RS 4155-4156 13-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354842.

Narrow parallel earthwork banks were visible as earthworks. Map object based partly on this source.

Fairy Surveys Ltd, 1964, FSL/6412 V, FSL/6412 V 1087-1088 07-FEB-1964 - banks vis (Aerial Photograph). SDV357115.

Narrow parallel earthwork banks were visible as earthworks. Map object based partly on this source.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR SX9095 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

Low earthwork banks were visible slight earthworks. Map object based partly on this source.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX9095 22-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356259.

Former earthwork banks were visible as cropmarks of levelled earthworks. Map object based partly on this source.

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

Evidence of former orchards of probable post-medieval to 19th century origin was visible as areas of low and narrow parallel earthwork banks and former banks visible as cropmarks, to the north, west and south of Cowley, north of Exeter, on aerial photographs of the 1940s to 2010. The visible earthwork banks fall within three plots depicted as orchards on the Ordnance Survey First Second Edition 25 inch map, indicating that the orchards probably predated the mid to late 19th century and remained planted into the second decade of the 20th century. The orchards were probably associated with Cowley Hill Farm and Cowley Barton.
Aerial photographs of the 1940s show lightly planted with trees, the underlying banks or ridges clearly visible as earthworks. The banks probably survived to this date in two further plots immediately to the north and north-east, as these appear equally densely planted, but earthworks cannot be confidently identified on the aerial photographs available to the survey due to the direction of light. This interpretation is supported by a partial survival of earthworks in the most north-eastern orchard, visible on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014, and cropmarks of levelled earthwork banks visible on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2010. The orchards remained planted at a similar level into the 1960s but appear to have been cleared at some point after 1967.
By 2010 the orchards have been largely levelled and converted to other uses, including arable cultivation, pasture and built on as part of farmstead expansion.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV354842	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1995. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1995 RS 4155-4156 13-APR-1947.
SDV356259	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX9095 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
SDV357115	Aerial Photograph: Fairy Surveys Ltd. 1964. FSL/6412 V. Fairy Surveys Ltd aerial photograph. Photograph (Paper). FSL/6412 V 1087-1088 07-FEB-1964 - banks vis.
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX9095 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.