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Summary

The remains of probable post-medieval to 19th century ridges possibly made for fruit tree planting and improved drainage were visible on aerial photographs of 1996 as low, parallel earthwork banks within a former marl pit on the south-east facing slopes to the north of Higher Lake Farm, Stockland.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD? (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1840 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The plot (1261) was named as Marl Pit listed as a meadow.

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

The former extractive pit was depicted and labelled as Old Marl Pit. The plot was not symbolised as a meadow.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 4309-4310 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Parallel banks were visible as earthworks within the former marl pit.

Ordnance Survey, 1996, OS/96570, OS/96570 V 54 08-MAY-1996 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359489.

Parallel earthwork banks remained visible as earthworks despite encroaching vegetation cover.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST22004 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

The pit and earthwork banks were obscured by vegetation.

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 probable post-medieval to 19th century ridges possibly made for fruit tree planting and improved drainage were visible on aerial photographs of 1996 as low, parallel earthwork banks within a former marl pit on the south-east facing slopes to the north of Higher Lake Farm, Stockland.
The banks were spaced up to circa 4 metres apart and were aligned along the contour, although cross-contour banks might be more expected to aid drainage.
The visible earthworks fall within a plot named on the Tithe Apportionment for Stockland as Marl Pit (plot 1261) and listed as a meadow. The former extractive pit is labelled as old Marl Pit but the area within it is not depicted as an orchard on the Ordnance Survey 25 inch first edition map.
The Marl Pit therefore passed out of use some time prior to circa 1840. NMP surveys in Devon have noted such possibly agriculturally marginal land has frequently been reused as orchards and this pattern of reuse is repeated throughout this survey area. The earthwork banks are therefore tentatively interpreted as ridges made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage, but for an orchard that also passed out of use prior to circa 1840.
The plot was obscured by scrub vegetation on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2014 and the banks might survive as low earthworks.

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 RP 4309-4310 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #74669 ]
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 ST22004 08-SEP-2014.
SDV359489	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1996. OS/96570. Ordnance Survey. OS/96570 V 54 08-MAY-1996.

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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