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Summary

The remains of probable post-medieval to 20th century ridges made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage were visible as low, curvilinear, parallel earthwork banks on digital images derived from lidar data, to the north-west of Cheney’s Farm.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

The earthwork banks did not correspond with any depicted orchard features. However, place name evidence (plot 778, Home Orchard) supports a previous use as an orchard.

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

To the north of the farm the earthwork banks did not correspond with any depicted orchard features. An orchard was depicted in the plot immediately north-west of the farm. Map object based partly on this source.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DSM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1601 Environment Agency DSM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359178.

Curvilinear parallel earthwork banks were visible. 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.

The remains of low, curvilinear, parallel earthwork banks to the north and north-west of Cheney’s Farm, Honiton Parish, were visible on digital images derived from lidar data. The banks were spaced on average 5 to 7 metres apart, and although curved, were aligned roughly cross-contour, presumably to aid drainage. The earthworks are interpreted as ridges made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage. The orchard was probably post-medieval to 19th century in date, but the curvilinear nature of the earthworks and surrounding relict field boundaries might support a medieval origin.
The visible earthwork banks to the north of the farm did not correspond with orchards depicted on the Tithe Map for Honiton or the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map, but the field in which they were visible (plot 778) was named as Home Orchard (plot 778) on the Tithe Apportionment, although the land use was described as meadow, indicating that the orchard had been cleared of trees prior to the 1840s. Plots 775 and 776 to the north east, were listed as orchards on the Tithe Apportionment and remained depicted as so on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map. The banks to the southern end of this former orchard have been levelled, possibly as a consequence of the expansion of the farmstead.

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.
SDV359178	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DSM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1601 Environment Agency DSM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.
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

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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