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Summary

Site of the South Gate in the town defences of Medieval Lydford recorded in excavations. Medieval strut, and undated gullies, Southgate.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002506: Ringwork, castle, town banks, site of Saxon town and defences at Lydford

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58SW56
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 901361
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SW/54

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DITCH (Unknown date)
• POST HOLE (Unknown date)
• GATE (VIII to Late Medieval - 701 AD to 1539 AD)
• ROAD (Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'South Gate (Site of )' shown on 19th century map as a cross at the southern end of the defensive bank at the eastern side of Lydford village.

Weddell, P. J., 1981, Excavations at Southgate Cottages, Lydford, 119-140 (Article in Serial). SDV254239.

A small excavation was carried out in advance of development in the garden of 2 Southgate Cottages in Lydford in March/April 1981. The site lies immediately inside the presumed line of the southern wall of the town and some 25 metres from the presumed site of the South Gate. The main evidence of occupation on the site consisted of a series of street surfaces, some associated with possible buildings, running east-west along the inside of the town wall. This suggests that an important street may have followed this course from the Late Medieval period to the 18th or early 19th century when the property was divided into two. Pottery included Medieval cooking pots and a high proportion of 17th century North Devon wares. The site may not have been occupied during the Medieval period; perhaps reflecting Lydfords decline. The earliest dateable street surface was laid down after 1600, so by then at least, the South Gate was in use.
Excavations at Southgate, Lydford, SX51138472. The site lies just within the presumed line of the Eastern Saxon defences. The earliest, undated features comprised a gully, timber-slot, pit, drain and six post-holes, but no discernable pattern emerged. An East-West hollow-way was laid across the site post-1600. This developed into a constructed strut, used as a throughfare to, presumably, the South Gate of Lydford, until ca.1800. Overall, seven phases were detectable.

Newman, P., 2000, The Town and Castle Earthworks at Lydford, 9 (Report - Survey). SDV351534.

The alignment of the eastern boundary wall of Lydford is slightly curved at its southern end near South Gate Cottages and the defensive circuit continues as a curved earthwork terrace. No mention is made of a gate at this point.

Manning, P., 2008, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Sewage Treatment Works at Lydford, 3, Figure 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV351460.

Supposed site of the South Gate of Lydford.

National Monuments Record, 2013, 440671, SX58SW3 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV233012.

South Gate, this is known locally as 'The South Gate' and is regarded by natives as being contemporary with the wall. There is a gap of 2 metres between the end of the wall and the top of the escarpment, where there is now a modern wall. There is no further information.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

'South Gate (site of)' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6171 - Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Sewage Treatment Works at Lydford (Ref: 08.31)
• EDV6180 - Survey of the Town and Castle Earthworks at Lydford
• EDV7063 - Watching brief on replacement of electricity pole on land at South Gate, Lydford (Ref: ACD1416)

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