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Summary

The rectilinear ditched enclosure known as Hartland Abbey Fishpond is clearly visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards. Alternative interpretations of the site include an 18th-19th century ornamental garden feature or medieval moated site.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS22SW/23

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MOAT (Unknown date)
• (Alternate Type) FISHPOND (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1906, 17SW, DCC DAP/TA03-04 07-JUL-1974 (Cartographic). SDV5523.

"Abbey Fish Pond" marked.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/158, DCC RAF/3G/TUD/UK/158 5058-9 19-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349143.

The earthwork is visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1964, Untitled Source (Cartographic). SDV339898.

'Abbey Fish Pond' (of Hartland Abbey) shown.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978 - 2002, SS22SW2 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV7414.

Visited 2/12/1978. The 'Abbey fish pond' appears to have no documentation. It is a rectangular ditch 25m by 38m, at most 1m deep. It is now dry, and generally 5m wide. The ditch encloses an area in the manner of a moat but is at least 1m above the abbey river, and could only be fed from some other source. This could have been the overflow of St. Nectan's well, but no sign of this. Situation and construction are illogical for a monastic fishpond: possibly this is an 18th or 19th century ornamental work.

Hartland Quay Museum, 1981, Guide to the Coast and Shipwrecks. North from Hartland Quay (Leaflet). SDV341566.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/TA (Aerial Photograph). SDV349383.

The earthwork is visible.

Clark, J. + Richardson, D., 1999, Hartland Abbey (Un-published). SDV357681.

Next Perspectives, 2007, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS2324 01-AUG-2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349382.

The earthwork is visible.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 589 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011 - 2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

The rectilinear ditched enclosure known as Hartland Abbey Fishpond is clearly visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs of 1940s onwards, centred on circa SS 237248. On aerial photographs of 1946, the enclosure ditch appears to be holding water and measure between 6 and 10 metres across. A 5 metre wide causeway or entrance to the interior of the enclosure can be seen at the western end of the site.
The site continues to be visible, albeit intermittently due to dense tree cover, on vertical aerial photography to 2007. However, oblique aerial photographs of 1984 are the first to clearly show that the causeway or entrance appears to have been removed.
The site does not appear to share the characteristics of fishponds commonly seen at other monastic sites and more closely resembles the form of moated settlement sites in Devon and elsewhere.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV339712	Report - Assessment: Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J.. 2007. The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report. Exeter Archaeology Report. 06.22 (rev.1). A4 Stapled + Digital. No. 589.
SDV339898	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1964. Ordnance Survey 6 inch map. Map (Paper).
SDV341566	Leaflet: Hartland Quay Museum. 1981. Guide to the Coast and Shipwrecks. North from Hartland Quay. Hartland Quay Museum Leaflet. Leaflet + Digital.
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011 - 2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349143	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/158. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DCC RAF/3G/TUD/UK/158 5058-9 19-APR-1946.
SDV349382	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2007. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS2324 01-AUG-2007.
SDV349383	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1990. DAP/TA. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).
SDV357601	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2015. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #81066 ]
SDV357681	Un-published: Clark, J. + Richardson, D.. 1999. Hartland Abbey. Devon Register Review. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV5523	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1906. 17SW. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch Map. Map (Paper). DCC DAP/TA03-04 07-JUL-1974.
SDV7414	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1978 - 2002. SS22SW2. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

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