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Summary

A geophysical survey and archaeological evaluation recorded a number of ditched features on the site at Newnham Farm, on the west-facing slopes overlooking the Tory Brook Plympton. The ditches are thought to be associated with mining activity and former field boundaries. Subtle earthwork banks visible on digital visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 are interpreted as evidence of field boundaries of medieval to post-medieval date and might correspond with some of the features identified by the geophysical survey and archaeological trench evaluation.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020169: Deer park and rabbit warren at Newnham Park

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EXTRACTIVE PIT? (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2013 AD)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Post Medieval to Modern - 1540 AD to 2013 AD)

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

The visible earthworks correspond in part with a field boundary depicted on the Tithe Map for Plympton St Mary.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5558 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Linear and curvilinear banks are visible as subtle earthworks.

Good, O., 2014, Newnham Farm, Plympton: Archaeological Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV360929.

An archaeological trial trench evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology from 6 to 22 October 2014 on Land at Newnham Farm, Plympton, Devon. A total of forty five trenches were excavated, Trenches 1 to 38 and Trenches 44 to 50 spread across 10 fields (Fields 2 to 11) of pasture land encompassing c. 35ha. The trenches were targeted on the results of a previously undertaken geophysical survey as well as providing a random sample of the site.
An archaeological evaluation recorded a number of ditches on the site at Newnham Farm, Plympton. The ditches are thought to be associated with mining activity both within the site and within its immediate vicinity and may possibly represent leats and run offs. Other ditches correspond to former field boundaries indicated on historic mapping which have since been removed. If the features were of an earlier date they would more likely be visible beneath the subsoil or colluvial layers. None of the fills of the ditches produced any dateable evidence. However, several of the ditches had straight cut, vertical sides indicating they had been cut by machine. The recorded features corresponded well with anomalies identified by the geophysical survey. Most of the ditches were located in Fields 5 and 6. In particular an area within Field 6 which the geophysical survey had indicated to be of good archaeological potential was found to contain features likely to be post-medieval and modern in date as described above and possible relate to previous mining activity.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

Linear banks on a roughly north-south and west-east alignment are visible as subtle earthworks on digital visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 on west-facing slopes overlooking the Tory Brook, west of Bottle Hill, Sparkwell.
The visible earthworks correspond in part with field boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Plympton St Mary, and the remaining earthworks can be interpreted as being largely in keeping with the character of the surrounding field pattern, extending to the east of the B3417.
On the basis of the lidar data the earthworks could be interpreted as evidence of possible field boundaries of medieval to post-medieval date that were largely cleared prior to the mid-19th century.
However, some of the visible earthwork banks might correspond with several linear ditched features identified during the 2014 geophysical survey some of which were possibly identified by subsequent trench evaluation and interpreted as modern in date (see SDV360929, Trench 44, Trench 47 & Trench 50).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8089 - Archaeological Evaluation: Newnham Farm, Plympton (Ref: 14537)
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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