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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 aerial photographs of 1947 on the south-west facing slopes east of Wessington Cottage, 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 1982 AD (Between))

Full description

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 RP 3446-3447 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

The earthwork banks were visible through light orchard tree cover. They did not extend over the entirety of the plot.

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

The orchard plot had been developed for housing and the banks levelled.

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

Parallel ridges were visible as low parallel earthwork banks on aerial photographs of 1947 on the south-west facing slopes east of Wessington Cottage, Awliscombe parish.
The ridges were spaced approximately 7 metres apart and ran across the contours of the slope. The visible banks fell within a plot depicted as an orchard on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map. 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.
By 1982 the orchard had been developed for housing and the earthwork banks probably levelled.

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: #77001 ]
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3446-3447 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
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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