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Summary

Possible post-medieval or 19th century field boundary and flood defence along the river on the north-west side of Axminster, just west of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line. Visible as an earthwork bank on aerial photographs taken from the 1940s and on lidar imagery captured between 1998 and 2014.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FLOOD DEFENCES? (Constructed, Post Medieval to World War II - 1540 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
• RIVER DEFENCE SITE? (Constructed, World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

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

A linear feature, probably a water channel, is depicted.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RP 3199-3200 22-JAN-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359315.

A curvilinear earthwork bank is visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR SY2998 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

A curvilinear earthwork bank is visible in this location.

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

A substantial curvilinear earthwork bank, up to circa 17 metres in width, is visible on aerial photographs taken from the 1940s and images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014. The east-facing side towards the river appears to be more substantial than the west-facing side. Its northern segment corresponds with a linear feature depicted in the late-19th century that appears to be a water channel, and at the southern end curves to the east towards a stream and Stony Bridge. Its proximity to the Second World War Taunton Stop Line suggests that it may have had a military function. However the water channel depicted on the pre-war OS mapping suggests that this could have been a particularly substantial field boundary that functioned also for flood defence, the water channel draining the land behind.

Action East Devon, 2017, Axminster Remembers, http://axremembers.actioneastdevon.org.uk/axminster-stories/norma-and-delphine (Website). SDV360244.

The interviewees state that the Yarty and Axe were dredged as part of the anti-invasion preparations, and the silt was used to bank up the sides.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SY2998 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014. [Mapped feature: #76632 ]
SDV359315	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2431. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RP 3199-3200 22-JAN-1948.
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
SDV360244	Website: Action East Devon. 2017. Axminster Remembers. http://axremembers.actioneastdevon.org.uk. Website. http://axremembers.actioneastdevon.org.uk/axminster-stories/norma-and-delphine.

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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