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Summary

Two terraces, platforms or pits were recorded as earthworks on the west to north-west-facing slopes north of Monkton Down Farm, Upottery Parish, during a walkover survey associated with the A30/A303 improvement works between Honiton and Devonshire Inn. The earthworks were also visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards and are interpreted here as the remains of former extractive pits of medieval to 19th century date.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) HOUSE PLATFORM (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1880 AD (Between))

Full description

Foster, K. + Skinner, R., 01/2016, A30 to A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon (Report - Assessment). SDV359378.

DBA undertaken along a corridor associated with the A30/A303 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn. This study is intended to inform the development of options for improvements to the A30/A303 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn.

Approximately 330 metres east from Yard Farm further up the valley sides was a medieval settlement named as ‘Higher Yard’ (MDV38414). Higher Yard is mentioned in a charter of 1481 and in a deed of 1682 (Weddell, 1992). In 1682 the settlement consisted of two messuages which further contracted to a single farmhouse in the 19th-century. The site of the 19th century farmhouse consists of an enclosure adjacent to a hollow way running west with an associated barn or linhay a short distance to the east. During the walkover survey two large house platforms were identified cut into the hillside approximately 220 metres to the north-east of the 19th-century house. Given their proximity to the later dwelling it is fairly likely that these platforms were the site of the earlier medieval settlement at Higher Yard.

Earthwork previously subject to ploughing.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 4438-4439 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Rectilinear earthwork terraces or former pits were visible.

Ordnance Survey, 2000, OS/00973, OS/00973 V 54 19-MAR-2000 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359480.

Rectilinear earthwork terraces or former pits were visible. Map object based partly on this source.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution), Devon County Council 2010 Aerial Photograph mosaic (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Rectilinear earthwork terraces or former pits were visible.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR ST1904 Bluesky International DTM 30-APR-2016 & 04-MAY-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

An extraction pit and associated terrace is visible as an earthwork. Map object based partly on this source.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

Two conjoined terraces, platforms or pits were visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as earthworks on the west to north-west-facing slopes north of Monkton Down Farm, Upottery Parish. The earthworks were roughly rectilinear in size and measured roughly 15 and 35 metres across.
Previously interpreted by the above authorities as possible house platforms, they are interpreted here as probable evidence of former extractive pits of medieval to 19th century date. The possible pits remained visible as earthworks on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010 and digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV346026	Aerial Photograph: GeoInformation Group Ltd. 2010. 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution). 2010 Aerial Photographs. Digital. Devon County Council 2010 Aerial Photograph mosaic.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 4438-4439 11-APR-1947.
SDV359378	Report - Assessment: Foster, K. + Skinner, R.. 01/2016. A30 to A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon. Wessex Archaeology. 111160.01. Digital.
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359480	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 2000. OS/00973. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/00973 V 54 19-MAR-2000.
SDV359714	Cartographic: Bluesky International. 2016. LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects. Not applicable. Digital. LIDAR ST1904 Bluesky International DTM 30-APR-2016 & 04-MAY-2016.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6910 - Desk Based Assessment, A30/A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon (Ref: 111160.01)
• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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