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Summary

Two plots north of Bowringsleigh Farm are depicted on 19th century maps as orchards. Parallel banks identifiable as subtle earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 on the north-east facing slopes are interpreted as evidence of post-medieval to 19th century orchard planting.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD? to 1880 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Plot 857 is listed as Great Orchard, Plot 858 as Culver Park (arable).

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

Both plots are depicted as orchards.

Royal Air Force, 1951, RAF/540/497, RAF/540/497 RP 3122-3123 12-MAY-1951 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351212.

The orchards remain lightly planted.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7144 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Parallel banks are identifiable as subtle earthworks. Those in the southern plot are visible on two orientations. Those in the northern plot are too subtle to transcrib; an extent only has been depicted.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX7144 13-SEP-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

The plots are largelycleared of tree cover.

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.

Closely spaced parallel earthwork banks circa 5m wide and up to circa 95m long are visible as earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 crossing the contours of the north-east facing slopes north of Bowringsleigh Farm, over an area of approximately 1ha.
The plot in which the banks are most clearly visible is listed on the Tithe Map for West Alvington as Great Orchard (Plot 857). The plot to the north (858) is listed as Culver Park, under arable cultivation.
Both plots are depicted as orchards on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25inch map.
This supports the interpretation of the banks as earthworks created to improve drainage and increased soil depth for tree planting in an orchard, with Great Orchard (Plot 857) created prior to 1840 and the second to the north by circa 1880.
The orchards remained lightly planted in 1951 but were largely cleared of trees by 2002.

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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