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Summary

Field boundaries of medieval to post-medieval date or drainage channels of post-medieval to 19th century date are visible as subtle earthwork ditches or hollows on the floor of the Tory Brook combe, in Newnham Deer Park, Sparkwell.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Medieval to XVII - 1066 AD to 1700 AD (Between))
• DRAIN (XVII to XX - 1700 AD to 1946 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The visible earthworks do not correspond with any field boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Plympton St Mary.

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

A visible earthworks corresponds with a field boundary depicted on the Ordnance Survey 1880s 25inch First Edition map.

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.

Broad linear hollows are visible as earthworks.

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.

Eight linear hollows or ditches up to circa 18m wide and 120m long are visible as subtle west to east aligned earthworks on the floor of the Tory Brook combe, in Newnham Deer Park.
Whilst one of the visible earthworks corresponds with a field boundary depicted on the Ordnance Survey 1880s 25inch First Edition map, none match boundaries shown on the Tithe Map for Plympton St Mary.
It is possible that the later-19th century boundary was established on the line of an earlier boundary, and that the relict earthworks are the plough spread evidence of a medieval to post-medieval field system that was cleared prior to circa 1840, perhaps for the creation of the deer park.
Alternatively, the hollows might be evidence of drainage channels of post-medieval to 19th century date, intended to improve pasture by draining the valley floor into the Tory Brook.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• 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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