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Summary

The remains of ridges of probable post-medieval to mid-19th century date made for fruit tree planting and improved drainage in an orchard were visible as low parallel earthwork banks on aerial photographs of the 1940s and digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014, on the east-facing slopes to the south of Bennettshayes Farm, Awliscombe parish.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1947 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The visible earthworks fall within two plots (261 andn 262), the latter of which was listed as Shelf Orchard. The listing for plot 261 was not found.

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

The visible earthworks fall within a plot depicted as an orchard.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2451-2452 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Narrowly spaced ridges were visible as slight earthworks under light tree cover, on two orientations.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1103 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

Low parallel earthwork banks were visibleon two orientations, either side of an earthwork pit.

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 ridges or narrow banks were visible as low parallel earthwork banks, on two orientations and under light tree cover on aerial photographs of 1947 on the east-facing slopes to the south of Bennettshayes Farm, Awliscombe parish.
The visible earthworks fall within a plot depicted as an orchard on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map and two plots, one of which was listed as Shelf Orchard on the Tithe Apportionment for Awliscombe (plot 262, associated with Shelf Cottage, plot 260).
The earthworks can therefore be interpreted the remains of tree planting banks made for fruit tree planting and improved drainage, dating probably from the post-medieval period to the mid-19th century. The orchard was also probably located to take advantage of the shelter provided by a former extractive pit, the relict earthwork remains of which was located centrally in the plot, the earthwork banks arrayed to either side. The pit was not depicted on the historic maps and is recorded separately.
The ridges remained visible on digital images derived from lidar data captured from 1998 to 2014 and probably survive as low earthwork banks.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital). [Mapped feature: #76636 ]
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 FS 2451-2452 11-APR-1947.
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1103 Environment Agency DTM 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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