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Summary

An area of piecemeal enclosure defining a small field system of probable medieval to post-medieval date is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 to digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2013 as earthworks banks and ditches on the southern edge of Crownhill Down. The earthworks have been destroyed by the expansion of open cast mining on Crownhill Down.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric field systems, cairn and hut circles north east of Bottle Hill

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 910269
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NE/34

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) FIELD SYSTEM (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)
• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, 106G/UK/1190, 3252 (Aerial Photograph). SDV170515.

Field system comprising several banks extending out from present enclosed land to which it does not seem to be related shown on 1946 aerial photograph.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RP 3251-3252 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

Linear and curvilinear banks and ditches are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 1127 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Linear and curvilinear banks and ditches are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Map object based on this Source.

Edwards, C., 1979, An archaeological survey of an area surrounding Hemerdon Ball (Report - Survey). SDV337241.

Site visited on 12th July 1979. Roughly rectangular, probably Prehistoric field system of three divisions running north-east from SX56585897 to SX56625904, then east to SX56755906 and south to SX56775900 cut by the leat to Bottle Hill at SX56675904. Orientation does not conform well with the modern field system to south. Length 180 metres, width 55 metres, height of banks 0.2 metres.

Gilbertson, D. + Collis, J., 1982, Mapping Three Millennia of Settlement and Land Use on Crownhill Down, South West Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV362901.

Field System 6. Additional banks, especially to east recorded.

AMAX, 1982, The Hemerdon Project. Archaeological Sites (Plan - measured). SDV149232.

Other details: Feature H.

Devon County Council, 1982, Untitled Source (Plan - measured). SDV337246.

Gilbertson, D. + Collis, J., 1985, Linear Banks on Crownhill Down, Dartmoor (Article in Serial). SDV337244.

Field System 6. Additional banks, especially to east recorded.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, SX55NE (Cartographic). SDV337243.

Map object based on this Source.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5658-SX5659 31-MAY-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Linear and curvilinear banks and ditches are visible as earthworks.

National Monuments Record, 2002, 910269 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343914.

Numerous low earthen field banks, many with ditches on one side, lie on open moorland on the lower south-facing slopes of Crownhill Down. They are on average spread to 1.8 metres wide and are up to 0.7 metres high. None have been excavated but they are similar in form to other banks which have a Medieval origin. This part of the moor is covered by stands of dense mature gorse obscuring many of the features. Other details: NMR Number SX55NE22.

Fletcher, M., 2002, The Archaeological Landscape of Crownhill Down and Ridding Down: Survey Report (Report - Survey). SDV343412.

Other details: Figure 3 and Crownhill Down Survey. Map object based on this Source.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5659 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Linear and curvilinear banks and ditches 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.

Linear and curvilinear banks and ditches are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1946 to digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2013 on the west-facing slopes on the southern edge of Crownhill Down.
The visible earthworks do not correspond with any boundaries depicted on the 19th century maps available to the survey and are not in keeping with the character of the field pattern south of the Down.
Nonetheless, the banks and ditches do appear to abut the extant boundaries to the south and are interpreted as piecemeal enclosure defining a small field system of probable medieval to post-medieval date that was cleared prior to the 1840s..
The earthworks have been destroyed by the expansion of open cast mining on Crownhill Down.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4559 - Archaeological Landscape of Crownhill Down and Riddding Down
• 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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