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Summary

Six sheep creeps through field boundaries at Standon Farm of 18th-19th century date

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58SW187
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1335972
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SW/101

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHEEP CREEP (XVII to XIX - 1700 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Probert, S., 2001, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon. Integrated Land Management Plan Implementation: Archaeological Condition Baseline Survey Appendices 2-5 (Report - Survey). SDV357727.

(20/01/2001) A group of sheep creeps, centred at SX54088157, are incorporated into some of the hedges which form the in-fields of the abandoned Standon Farm. These small artificial passages, constructed within broad stone-faced earthen hedges, were designed to allow sheep free access to an adjacent field whilst larger livestock - cattle and horses - had to use the field gates. The sheep creeps were part of an animal husbandry system which was still in use in the later 20th century. At least six sheep creeps can be identified at Standon but others, now collapsed, are visible in some of the broken down hedges; a number have been deliberately blocked. Sheep creeps seem to have been placed to allow sheep unrestricted access from a small field to a neighbouring large field; there is not usually an adjacent field gate in the particular hedge. A typical sheep creep at Standon is a stone-lined passage 1.6 metres long, 0.75 metres high and 0.7 metres wide with a lintel 0.82 metres wide supporting the upper part of the hedge. An unusual sheep creep at SX54088157 is shaped like an inverted triangle being 0.6 metres wide at the top, 0.4 metres wide at the foot and 0.82 metres high. The other four undamaged sheep creeps in the in-field hedges at Standon are at SX54428137; SX54248149; SX54358159 and SX54188160.

Greeves, T., 2009, Standon Farm: an historical and archaeological survey, 98-99, Figures 52-53 (Report - Survey). SDV360465.

Several of the field boundaries at Standon Farm have evidence of sheep creeps, some of which are now blocked. The creeps are stone built passages through the hedges which enabled the control of sheep movement between fields. Recorded examples exist at SX54088157, SX54428137, SX54258149, SX54358159 and SX54188160. A blocked example is located at SX54498143. These features are likely to be of 18th/19th century date.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7425 - Standon Farm: an historical and archaeological survey
• EDV7368 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy (1998)
• EDV6663 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6664 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6665 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV8141 - Condition survey of the Willsworthy Training Area

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