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Summary

Possible site of settlement, including building platforms, hollow ways and terraces visible to the east, south and west of Blackdown Rings hillfort. Earthworks of banks and ditches are visible here on aerial photographs taken from 1946 onwards and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016258: Blackdown Rings prehistoric hillfort and medieval castle

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX75SW/20

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

RCHME, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177662.

Halloways suggest a through route. On the w a bank 0.3m high with flanking ditches runs for 105m wsw from the hillfort entrance, defining the s side of a trackway. The n side is defined by a 50m stretch of bank 0.5m high. The holloway on the e is 0.5m deep but stops 30m short of the entrance having been obliterated by later tracks. Some earthworks on the w side reflect fields marked on 1839 tithe map. Other amorphons features and platforms. A depression parallel with the road, sw of the fort corresponds to building and garden on tithe map (rchme).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV177663.

Aph=cuc/cf 41(16/6/1949)/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177664.

Higham, r. A. /the castles of medieval devon/(1979)142-145,312/plate 45.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177665.

Higham, r. A. ,in dcc/archaeology of the devon landscape/(1981)77,fig 8.5.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177666.

Des=griffiths, f. M. /as above and plan in parish file.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV177667.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk 1890(10/des/1946)4088/(dcc 58/57).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177668.

Des=rchme/the rings,loddiswell parish,south hams district/(1991)/ms and plan in parish file.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV177669.

Aph=dap/fw 1-6(6/3/1986).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV1907.

Possible site of settlement. There are possible building platforms in a field to the s of blackdown rings (sx75sw/5). These show as areas of differential vegetation growth (higham).

GRIFFITH, QUINNELL. H, ET AL, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV53122.

Vis=21/5/1983 (griffith, quinnell et al). In low vegetation a number of building platforms and terraces can clearly be seen on the w, s and e sides of the camp, principally on the flatter areas outside the two entrances. In addition a holloway could be seen running up to each of the entrances, and a curving bank or enclosure lies outside the western side. See sketch map in pf for further details (griffith, quinnel et al).

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 4088-4089 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Earthworks of curvilinear banks and ditches are visible.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7151 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Earthworks of curvilinear banks and ditches are visible.

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.

Earthworks of banks and ditches located to the east and west of Blackdown Rings hillfort are visible on aerial photographs taken from 1946 onwards and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013. Extending from the western entrance of the hillfort is a possible enclosure, comprising a broadly L-shaped ditch, circa 9m wide, which is flanked on each side by banks, between 2m and 7m wide. A low, flat-topped and rectilinear mound, circa 22m long by 16m wide, is visible to the northeast of these earthworks. Outside of the eastern hillfort entrance is an east to west aligned curvilinear ditch, circa 9m wide, which intersects and possibly truncates three north to south aligned banks, between 2m and 4m wide. The visible earthworks correspond with some of the features identified by F. Griffith, and mentioned elsewhere in this record, to the east, south and west of the hillfort and interpreted as evidence of a possible settlement. Numerous other earthwork features are also visible within the interior of the Iron Age hillfort which may be associated with this settlement. Given the complex and contiguous nature of the earthworks here, it has not been possible to easily disaggregate those earthworks that are possibly associated with this settlement from those associated with the motte and bailey (MDV7602) or the hillfort (MDV7601). Consequently, all transcribed earthworks in this area have been attributed to the monument record for the hillfort.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

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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