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Summary

Parts of field systems extend from Hazel Tor to Bolt Head representing a complex and hard to date, sequence of enclosure of the land at Soar. The fields seem to mainly date from the Medieval or Post Medieval period but some of the boundaries may have much earlier origins, possibly in the later prehistoric period. The fields between Soar Mill Cove and Starehole Bottom appear to form part of a system which includes boundaries still in use today. Most of these boundaries probably date from the enclosure of the commons at Soar in the 18th century, including some of those in the Warren. This monument record provides an overview but includes details of the field systems at and below the Warren.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020575: Medieval farmstead, boundary work and earthwork enclosures 350m south east of Middle Soar
• SHINE: Earthworks, structures, cropmarks and artefact scatters of prehistoric field system, remains of prehistoric barrow, medieval farmsteads and rabbit warren, 18th-19th century watch towers and World War Two RAF Bolt Head Airfield, at East Soar, Malborough

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 444335
• National Trust SMR: 100,535
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX73NW/67
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Bronze Age to Post Medieval - 2200 BC to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV144970.

Osa=sx73nw39.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV144971.

Aph=dap/hr 10-11/(23/12/1986).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Untitled Source (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV24.

Vis=2/2/1987 (os) intermittent field systems are traceable in heathland and downland between cathole point, sx696-378-, and bolt head, sx725-362-. These all total about 27 hectares over a distance of 3 kms, and largely confined to areas 100m to 300m wide, owned by the national trust. Further elements may be concealed in dense furze and bracken but there are three main areas of surviving fields. The warren consists of 16 hectares of level cliff top downland, immediately south of the arable and pasture fields of the starehole valley enclosed in the early c18. The warren appears to have been divided into fields by north to south banks set at intervals of about 40m. Many are so degraded as to be visible only in low light; in the eastern half mainly, vary from 3m wide and 0.5m high to 5m wide and 0.1m high. All are turf covered but contain some small stones. Southwards they extend to the cliff slopes, a distance of 100m to 180m. Northwards there are no remains in the farmland but their former continuation in some instances is evidence by bumps on the c18 enclosure wall, and the alignment of some field boundaries may be based on prehistoric ones. The northern extremity of three fields can be seen eastwards of the long mound at sx71263686. At the ne end of the mound a lynchet 4m long and 1m high curves eastwards for 150m until it merges with the almost parallel farmland wall. At the foot of the lynchet, in the narrow interspace between it and the wall, there is evidence for the next set of field banks, accompanied by bumps in the wall (os).

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, NMR RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2023-2025 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Earthwork banks are visible as earthworks.

Royal Air Force, 1949, RAF/541/419, NMR RAF/541/419 3011 19-DEC-1949 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351250.

Earthwork banks are visible as earthworks.

Thackray, C., 1990, Archaeological Survey of the Salcombe Estuary: West (Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point) Devon, 15 (Report - Survey). SDV345519.

At the east end of The Warren there survive the stony banks of an early field system. Here the remains are substantial and very clear, but in the area adjacent further traces have been destroyed by the building of an airstrip during World War II. There are the remains of an ancient orthostat wall incorporated into a later wall at the east of the Warren, and patches of orthostat walling remain elsewhere in the area and can also be seen on the eastern part of the National Trust Salcombe Estate, near Prawle Point. These 'orthostats' are upright slabs of the local stone, mica schist.

Environment Agency, 2007, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SX7036NE Environment Agency D0079380 31 Mar 2007 (Cartographic). SDV351410.

Earthwork banks are visible as earthworks.

Environment Agency, 2007, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SX7136NE Environment Agency D0079390 31-MAR-2007 (Cartographic). SDV351410.

Earthwork banks are visible as earthworks.

Environment Agency, 2007, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SX7136NW Environment Agency D0079384 31 Mar 2007 (Cartographic). SDV351410.

Earthwork banks are visible as earthworks.

Winton, H. + Bowden, M., 2009, East Soar, Devon: Air Photo Assessment and Survey (Report - Survey). SDV351406.

Remains of a field systems which extends from Hazel Tor to Bolt Head. These represent a complex, and hard to date, sequence of enclosure of the land at Soar. The fields seem to mainly date from the Medieval or Post Medieval period but some of the boundaries may have much earlier origins, possibly in the later prehistoric period. The fields between Soar Mill Cove and Starehole Bottom appear to form part of a system which includes boundaries still in use today. Most of these boundaries probably date from the enclosure of the commons at Soar in the 18th century, including some of those in the Warren. The other parts of the field systems are covered in NMR Monument Records 1368989 (MDV36200, MDV66003), 1368756 (MDV66002), 1369288 (MDVxxxxxx) and 1369300 (MDV36183). Parts of the fields are included in scheduled areas 34883, 34888, 34880, 34884, 34885 and 34887.
The field systems were mapped and recorded from aerial photographs and lidar as part of an English Heritage survey in 2008. The main sources were air photographs from the National Monuments Record (NMR), the Cambridge University Collection of Air Photos (CUCAP), Devon Historic Environment Record (HER), and lidar images from the Environment Agency. Additional sources included information from the NMR and Devon HER and the 1777 Courtney Estate Survey.
The field systems at the Warren mostly appear to be medieval or post medieval in character and appear to have a relationship with the fields to the north of the Warren Wall as they link up or are on a similar alignment. There are however a number of boundaries which appear different and perhaps represent remnants of much earlier, possibly prehistoric land use. Kinks in these boundaries (SX 7147 3681) and an intersection (SX 7155 3678) could indicate the sites of former structures. The presence medieval buildings (NMR Monument 1369319; HER MDV22807), prehistoric mounds (NMR Monument 444338) and the possible long barrow (NMR Monument 444317, HER MDV36192) hint at a complex sequence of structures on the northern edge of the Warren. These are covered by the scheduled area 34885. A double boundary (SX 7147 3681 to SX 7155 3678) could mark the edge of two properties on the cliff top, as it does not seem to mark a routeway as it leads directly to a precipice. Just east of this is a broad curving boundary which could represent an early boundary. There is another area with a complex sequence of boundaries at the western end of the Warren at SX 707 368 which could include a prehistoric phase. Parts of the Warren are now covered in scrubby vegetation but the features described above were mapped from aerial photographs taken in the 1940s when most of the area was in pasture.
The shelf of land below the cliff at The Warren (recorded separately as MDV66010) is visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s when there was virtually no scrub. Boundaries seen here, some forming rectangular enclosures, have a different character to the post medieval field boundaries on top of the cliff and so may have earlier origins. The enclosures may be related to stock management as the cliffs and cliff tops were used for seasonal grazing in the post medieval period, and probably in earlier periods too. Hut circles referred to by authority 4 in the EH Archive monument record were not visible on the available air photographs or lidar.
More detail is available in the EH Archive monument record which can be viewed via Pastscape.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 106 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Generally satisfactory but with significant localised problems. Stable. Principal vulnerability arable ploughing.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

All East Soar Air Photo Assessment and Survey (SDV351406) details were accessioned to the Devon HER as part of the South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV144970	Migrated Record:
SDV144971	Aerial Photograph:
SDV24	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. OSA. Card Index.
SDV345519	Report - Survey: Thackray, C.. 1990. Archaeological Survey of the Salcombe Estuary: West (Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point) Devon. National Trust Archaeological Survey Report. A4 Comb Bound + Digital. 15.
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2023-2025 10-DEC-1946.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351250	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1949. RAF/541/419. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/541/419 3011 19-DEC-1949.
SDV351406	Report - Survey: Winton, H. + Bowden, M.. 2009. East Soar, Devon: Air Photo Assessment and Survey. English Heritage. 50-2009. Digital + A4.
SDV351410	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2007. LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX7036NE Environment Agency D0079380 31 Mar 2007.
SDV355280	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2011. Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West. english Heritage. Digital. 106.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4935 - Archaeological Survey from Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point
• EDV6587 - Archaeological Assessment of Land between Bolt Heat and Bolt Tail

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