See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Banks and ditches are visible as earthworks on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016 underneath the walled garden at Wiscombe Park, and interpreted as a garden feature or possible building of medieval to 19th century origin.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUILDING? (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• GARDEN FEATURE (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The earthworks are situated within 'Kitchen Meadow'.

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

The earthwork are overlain by a woodland enclosure adjacent to a walled garden.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR SY1893 Bluesky International DTM 24-APR-2016 and 30-APR-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

Banks and ditches are visible as earthworks.

Sims, R., Knight, S. & Houghton, E., 2020-2021, East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV363914.

Two short distinct parallel banks are visible as earthworks on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016, with two narrow subtle earthwork ditches with flanking banks leading from them. The earthworks do not correspond to any features depicted on historic maps. The two distinct banks are both circa 30m long and circa 12m apart. They are orientated approximately north-west to south-east. Narrow ditches appear to extend from them towards a road to the north and to a stream depicted on historic maps to the west. They are situated within a plot recorded as 'Kitchen Meadow' on the Tithe Map. By the late 19th century the walled garden has been constructed with a rectangular enclosure of woodland on its north-west side. This woodland enclosure appears to overly the earthworks.
The estate of Wiscombe Park dates to the 13th century. Its current house was constructed in the early 19th century, replacing an earlier building (MDV10824). An even earlier building recorded in the 17th century as an 'old court' is known to have been situated within the Park. Its exact location is unknown, but may have been to the west (MDV61298). Wiscombe is acknowledged from documentary sources to have been a settlement, now deserted (MDV21837). Its estimated location is recorded to the south (MDV20187).
The banks are interpreted as a possible designed garden or landscape feature that pre-dates the construction of the walled garden, that may be 19th century and associated with the current building of Wiscombe Park, or may be from an earlier landscape layout. Alternatively it could be remains of the Court itself or a further building. The narrow ditches leading from it may be connected tracks or plot boundaries, or may be later unconnected drainage features. The earthworks would benefit from further investigation.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8340 - East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.