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Summary

Earthwork terraces or shallow pits were visible to the south-west of the former location of a post-medieval settlement, Northwood Farm. The earthworks have been interpreted as possible house platforms of medieval date but aerial photographic sources might provide evidence of a function as former quarry or extractive pits of medieval to post-medieval date.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• QUARRY? (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1840 AD (Between))
• SETTLEMENT? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The earthworks do not correspond to any depicted feature.

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

The earthworks do not correspond to any depicted feature.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 3440-3441 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Irregularly shaped earthwork pits were visible. Map object based partly on this source.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1801 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

The earthworks were largely obscured by dense tree cover.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

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.

Earthwork pits were visible to the south-west of the former post-medieval settlement, Northwood Farm, on aerial photographs of 1947. The pits are irregularly shaped and of variable depth, and are located within a very shallow and gentle combe.
The southernmost extension of the earthworks might be those interpreted by the above authorities as possible house platforms. It seems more probable that the pits were in fact evidence of former quarry or extractive pits of medieval to post-medieval date. Their location with the shallow combe and close association to a pond and springhead might also support the interpretation that they are in part natural in origin, or have been formed by running water. The plot of land in which the earthworks are located was depicted as an orchard on the Tithe map for Combe Raleigh (previously a small detached island of the parish bordered by Monkton, Luppit and Honiton parishes), and reduced area of orchard coincided with visible earthworks on Ordnance Survey 25inch First Edition map. The establishment of orchards on relict quarries and other relict earthwork hollows has been observed elsewhere during the survey, The earthworks are now largely obscured by dense tree cover.

<16> 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.

During the walkover survey earthworks related to a former settlement were identified approximately 70 m south-west of the site of the former Northwood Farm. The earthworks consist of two rectangular house platforms and a third possible smaller platform set against the hillside on terraces (Plate 4). A ditch or possible hollowway approaches the group from the west passing the site on the south side. This feature is shown as a boundary on Ordnance Survey mapping from 1880 and may be a later feature, although one that respects the location of the settlement. The settlement is likely to at least pre-date the 19th-century as it is not shown on the earliest available mapping, a Tithe Map of 1840, which depicts the area of the settlement as lying within an orchard.

Earthwork previously subject to orchard planting and probably ploughing.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV349463	Website: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Maps and Apportionments. http://devon.gov.uk. Website.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 3440-3441 11-APR-1947.
SDV359352	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2016. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. 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
SDV359479	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2014. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1801 08-SEP-2014.
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.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

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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