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Summary

The remains of ridges probably made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage from the post-medieval period to the mid-19th century, were visible as low parallel earthwork banks on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014, on the south-west facing slopes south of Wessington Farm, Awliscombe parish.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST20NW/124

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

The visible earthworks correspond to a plot depicted as an orchard.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3445-3446 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

The earthwork banks were visible through orchard tree cover.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, OS/82218 V, OS/82218 V 1136 28-AUG-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359504.

The orchard had been cleared of trees.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, LIDAR ST1401 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

Linear ridges were visible as short earthwork banks

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

A small area of roughly parallel ridges was visible as low parallel earthwork banks on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014, on the south-west facing slopes south of Wessington Farm, Awliscombe parish.
The ridges were spaced approximately 6 metres apart and ran across the contours of the slope. The area of visible banks corresponded with a plot depicted as an orchard on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map. The orchard remained lightly planted in 1947 and the earthwork banks visible through the trees.
The earthworks are therefore interpreted as the remains of tree planting banks made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage dating probably from the post-medieval period to the mid-19th century.
All trees had been cleared on aerial photographs of 1982, supporting the interpretation that the orchard had passed out of use in the second half of the 20th century.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3445-3446 11-APR-1947.
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. LIDAR ST1401 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.
SDV359504	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1982. OS/82218 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/82218 V 1136 28-AUG-1982.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

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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