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HER Number: | MDV120788 |
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Name: | Enclosure, Land off Barton Road, Parkham, Torridge. |
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Summary
Enclosure, land off Barton Road, Parkham, Torridge.
Location
Grid Reference: | None recorded |
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Admin Area | Devon |
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Civil Parish | Parkham |
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District | Torridge |
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Ecclesiastical Parish | PARKHAM |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses: none recorded
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to Post Medieval - 700 BC to 1750 AD)
Full description
Bampton, J. + Morris, B., 2017, Land off Barton Road, Parkham, Torridge: Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV360714.
This report presents the results of an archaeological evaluation carried out by South West Archaeology Ltd. for land off Barton Road, Parkham, Devon. This work was undertaken to investigate geophysical anomalies identified in an earlier survey and inform the future use of the site.
Trench 1 was located towards the southern part of the site targeting a positive linear anomaly and the interior of the possible sub-rectangular enclosure. Ditch [103] corresponded to the geophysical anomaly; ditch [108] ran parallel to ditch [103] and probably forms part of the same enclosure. These
ditches are undated. Ephemeral bands of disturbed or differentially-weathered natural c.3-4 metres across probably equate to agricultural (ridge and furrow) geophysical anomalies identified across the site. 19th and 20th century pottery was recovered from the topsoil.
Trench 2 was located towards the middle of the site, targeting a positive linear anomaly and an adjacent negative linear anomaly. Ditch [203] corresponded with the positive linear anomaly; a feature corresponding to the negative anomaly was not identified, though a compacted area of natural was observed at the proximate location of the anomaly. 19th and 20th century pottery was recovered from the topsoil.
Ditch [203] (see Figure 4, 7 and 8) was located near the middle of the trench. This ditch was orientated east-west and was 1.82m wide and 0.60m deep; it had steep sides and a gently-concave base. It contained five fills (204), (205), (206), (207) and (208). Fill (206) consisted of a thin layer of charcoal-rich material. Fill (205) contained ×4 fragments (<1g) from an animal tooth; there were no other finds.
Ditches [103] and [203], and associated ditch [108], define two sides of the sub-rectangular enclosure
identified by the geophysical survey. No datable artefacts were recovered during the evaluation, and
although the charcoal-rich layer (206) was bulk-sampled, the charcoal was so comminuted it was irrecoverable. No internal features were identified, but as the soils are relatively shallow, ephemeral
features could already have been lost.
It is certainly possible that the enclosure is of some antiquity. One would, however, expect the ditches of an Iron Age or Romano-British domestic enclosure to be more substantial and less sterile, and for interior features to be present. Its position within the landscape should be considered, for although the topography is fairly subdued the enclosure is located at the highest point on this hill spur. That being the case, it might possibly be a short-lived Roman military feature (signal station) or perhaps a Romano-Celtic shrine. There are significant issues with both identifications – the lack of structural evidence and votive finds argues against a shrine, and its morphology and small size against a signal station – and both are predicated on it being a single monument standing in isolation. Cropmarks visible in the adjoining field (Figure 11) could imply it actually forms part of a larger complex, the most significant elements of which could lie outside the site.
The profile of the ditches and character of their fills is not diagnostic, but they are not dissimilar to those of the historic field ditch excavated. Post-medieval boundaries are often (and diagnostically)
double-ditched, and Ditch [103] does have a flanking Ditch [108]. A small field (no.444) shown on the tithe map to the south-west is described in the apportionment as a Mowhay (i.e. stack/rick yard), and it is possible the enclosure was a second mowhay. Mowhays are, however, usually found in close proximity to a farmstead, and this might suggest the cropmarks in the field to the west are those of a farmstead lost pre-1800.
However, the principal evidence regarding the character and origin of the enclosure is its name. The
field containing the enclosure is recorded in the tithe apportionment as Pound Meadow, forming part of Town Barton and owned by Lord Rolle as parcel of the Manor of Parkham. Pounds or pinfolds were where stray livestock was kept until claimed by the owner, released on the payment of a fine which was owed to the manorial lord. Many manors and settlements featured a pound, usually associated with open common land. Given the location of this enclosure it is tempting to assume it would relate not to the former extensive open pastures on Melbury Hill, but the former open strip fields associated with Parkham village, suggesting a medieval or late medieval origin for the feature. Such an interpretation might explain the apparent lack of finds and internal features, but relatively few pounds have been subject to archaeological investigation. There need not be anything diagnostic about the form or character of such an enclosure, and most known examples are still upstanding.
Bampton, J. + Boyd, N., 2018, Land off Barton Road, Parkham, Torridge: DBA, Geophysical Survey, Impact Assessment (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV360706.
Geophysical survey identified a number of anomalies, one anomaly group is thought to relate to an enclosure, possibly Iron Age or later. Other anomalies are thought to relate to former field boundaries and former structures.
Group 3 is a moderate positive linear, which represents a probable enclosure ditch. It appears to represent the eastern two-thirds of a rectilinear enclosure ditch with a possible entrance in its south side. The enclosure is seemingly out of place in the surrounding fieldscape, but does roughly align with the western boundary. It may respect and therefore be later than the western boundary, perhaps representing a Medieval or later animal fold: or extend beyond the boundary and be earlier, such as Iron Age to early medieval.
Sources / Further Reading
SDV360706 | Report - Geophysical Survey: Bampton, J. + Boyd, N.. 2018. Land off Barton Road, Parkham, Torridge: DBA, Geophysical Survey, Impact Assessment. Southwest Archaeology. 170616. Digital. [Mapped feature: #80031 ] |
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SDV360714 | Report - Evaluation: Bampton, J. + Morris, B.. 2017. Land off Barton Road, Parkham, Torridge: Evaluation. Southwest Archaeology. 171020. Digital. |
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Associated Monuments: none recorded
Associated Finds
- FDV6728 - ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
- FDV6727 - Charcoal (Unknown date)
Associated Events
- EDV7486 - DBA, Geophysical Survey, Impact Assessment: Land off Barton Road, Parkham, Torridge (Ref: 170616)
- EDV7488 - Evaluation: Land off Barton Road, Parkham, Torridge (Ref: 171020)
Date Last Edited: | Nov 3 2021 1:40PM |
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