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Summary

The remains of ridges possibly 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-facing slopes west of Combehayes Farm, Feniton 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

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

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

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3450-3451 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Narrow linear earthwork banks were visible through dense tree cover.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1101 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

The earthwork ridges were not identifiable.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1101 22-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356259.

The plot was cleared of trees and under pasture.

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

Low and narrow parallel ridges were visible as parallel earthwork banks on aerial photographs of 1947, on the south-east facing slopes north of Lower Curscombe Farm, Feniton parish.
The ridges were visible crossing the contours of the slope, spaced approximately 5 to 6 metres apart, over an area of circa 0.5 hectares. The visible earthworks fall within a much larger plot depicted as an orchard on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map. The orchard remained densely planted in 1947.
The earthworks are therefore interpreted as the possible remains of tree planting banks made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage dating probably from the post-medieval period and remaining in use into the mid-20th century.
All trees had been cleared from the plot on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010 and he banks were not identifiable as earthworks on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014 and have probably been 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: #77084 ]
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3450-3451 11-APR-1947.
SDV356259	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1101 22-MAY-2010.
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1101 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: 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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