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Summary

Two banks, probably field boundaries of medieval to post-medieval date, are visible as earthworks to the south of Crownhill Down, on aerial photographs of 1946 and digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014. The earthworks have been destroyed by modern open cast mining.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 910269
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 910269
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NE/116

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

The visible earthworks do not correspond with any boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Plympton St Mary.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, 3252 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340833.

Linear features visible on aerial photograph.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FP 1126-1127 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Earthwork banks and ditches are visible.

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

Map object based on this Source.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV343921.

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

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

Prehistoric field system on south-west side of Crownhill Down consisting of substantial north-west to south-east boundary with associated boundaries on its south-west side.

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

Prehistoric field system on south-west side of Crownhill Down. Consists of substantial north-west to south-east boundary with associated boundaries on its south-west side.

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

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

Two banks which are probably field boundaries extending out from the present field system. One bank extends from SX56165926 to Sx56065945 to an area of tin streaming. Second bank extends from SX55995920 to SX56085936 where it meets the first bank at an acute angle. The first bank crosses a leat at SX56135936 and a second leat and ditch at SX56155938 and a bank at Sx56145928. Overall length 400 metres. Map object based on this Source.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5559-SX5659 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Banks and ditches are visible as subtle 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, 4 (Report - Survey). SDV343412.

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

Next Perspectives, 2015-2017, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5659 31-MAY-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361515.

The earthwork banks and ditches have partially been levelled by open cast mining.

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.

Two ditched banks, approximately 2.5m wide, are visible as earthworks to the south of Crownhill Down, on aerial photographs of 1946.
The southernmost north-east to south-west earthworks are circa 190m long. The south-east to north-west earthworks are circa 180m long. The banks are laid out in a T-formation, the southernmost north-east to south-west earthworks abutting the south-east to north-west earthworks at circa SX56085937.
The visible earthworks do not correspond with boundaries depicted on the 19th century maps available to the survey and therefore had been cleared prior to circa 1840. The above authority (SDV337243) suggests that the banks cross two leats. However, the aerial photographic evidence demonstrates that the bank is cut by the leats, indicating that the boundaries predate the post-medieval mining activity on Crownhill Down. The banks and ditches remain visible as earthworks on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014. However, the boundary earthworks have subsequently been destroyed by modern open cast mining.

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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