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Summary

The plough reduced remains of a rectilinear bank and ditch defined enclosure of probable later prehistoric date are visible on aerial photographs of 1984 and lidar derived images as cropmarks and earthworks on the south-east facing slopes within the outer enclosure of Castle Dyke Camp, in Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh.

Location

Protected Status

• Registered Park or Garden (II*) 1000705: UGBROOKE PARK
• Scheduled Monument 1003846: Castle Dyke camp, Ugbrooke

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1031386
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87NE/110
• Old SAM County Ref: 170

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 700 BC to 42 AD)

Full description

Ministry of Works, 1958, Castle Dyke, Ugbrooke Park (Schedule Document). SDV346756.

There are traces of another bank within the outer enclosue at Castle Dyke in Ugbrooke Park. It suggests an embanked entrance way but has been reduced by ploughing. Other details: Monument 170.

Gray, V. K., 1979, Castle Dyke, Ugbrooke Park (Report - Survey). SDV307852.

Other details: Monument 170.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/AL, 4-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV283760.

Ordnance Survey, 1984, OS/84170, OS/84170 V 055-056 04-JUL-1984 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352491.

Cropmarks of a ditched enclosure are visible.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV346758.

Enclosure to the south of Castle Dyke, within the scheduled area. Cropmarks of parts of several single ditched enclosures.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX8778 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Broad spread earthwork banks and ditches are are visible.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M) (Interpretation). SDV361305.

Cropmarks of ditches are visible on aerial photographs of 1984 defining a single or possible double ditched rectilinear or polygonal enclosure on the south-east facing slopes within the outer enclosure of Castle Dyke Camp, in Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh. The cropmarks are up to circa 5m wide and define the south and west sides of an enclosure approximately 140m long, north to south, and 100m wide, east to west. Cropmarks of parallel out-turned ditches might support the interpretation of an entrance on the south-west corner of the enclosure and may also indicate the presence of levelled earthwork banks to the south-east, but these are not clearly identifiable. A second, narrower internal ditch may be visible to the north-west corner of the enclosed area.
Images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017 support the interpretation that banks or ramparts do survive as low earthworks to the south-west and south-east corners of the enclosure, coinciding with the possible entrance visible as cropmarks. The lidar derive images also support the interpretation that the outer enclosure ditches were substantially broader than indicated by the cropmark evidence, the visible earthworks exceeding 15m wide in places. The broader ditches visible on lidar images have been transcribe using the ‘extent of feature’ symbology to distinguish from cropmark evidence and aid interpretation.
The relationship between the cropmark and earthwork evidence is unclear supporting the suggestion that the earthworks may have been significantly spread by ploughing, particularly in the south-west corner of the enclosure.
The cropmark and earthwork evidence are interpreted as the remains of an enclosure of later prehistoric to Roman date, possibly post-dating Castle Dyke camp to the north and incorporating elements of the outer enclosure earthworks immediately to the south.
Cropmarks of narrow ditches are visible crossing the interior of the enclosure. These are interpreted as evidence of separate phases of activity and have been recorded as such.

Bampton, J. + Balmond, F., 2025, Land at Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh, Devon: Results of a Geophysical Survey (Report - Geophysical Survey). SDV366785.

South West Archaeology Ltd. (SWARCH) was commissioned by a private client to undertake a geophysical survey of the Scheduled Castle Dyke Camp within the RPG at Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh, Devon. This work was undertaken as part of an agri-environment scheme application. The geophysical survey identified 35 anomaly groups comprised of <c.300 anomalies.

Group 8 forms a polygonal enclosure that respects a historical track and boundary at its north end and on its south-west side probably corresponds with an earthwork depicted on a mid-19th century plan of the site (Figure 10). Groups 8, 9, 10 and 11 also form a series of straight sided polygonal enclosures and areas of slight platforms. These anomalies are likely associated with earthworks included on the HER (MDV37463). Group 16 may represent internal features near the edge of the Group 8 enclosure. Parts of the Group 8 and 10 anomalies respect and/or define a possible defended access through the outer earthworks of the monument and have been speculatively associated with possible civil war modifications at the site by Hutchinson in the 1850s and 1860s (see Figure 10; MDV9008). Although these features and anomalies might be associated with civil war defences, which is not uncommon at other anciently defensible sites (e.g. Penstowe Castle, 1003079; Pendennis Castle, 1270096; Castle Dore, 1006691); it may be noteworthy that Lysons (1822) does not mention this.

A 19th century plan of the site by Orlando Hutchinson (Figure 10) depicts a kink in the “Advanced Earth Works”. This kink ostensibly equates to Group 10 and the south-west segment of Group 8. This angular formation defines a rough platform topographic feature with a copse of trees at its north end extant on the site at the time of the survey. Another slight platform may have been present on this slope, just to the east in the interior angle of part of Group 11. These historical aspects associated with Group 8 and 10 features may allude to a relatively recent date for associated enclosures with these anomalies. However, it seems as likely that any recent boundaries or features may have respected surviving and partially relict earthworks and topographic features associated with the hillfort. The kink defined by Group 10 and part of Group 8 may represent an original feature associated with the outer earthworks of the site.

Group 12 represents intermittent linear and curvilinear anomalies indicative of a cut and in-filled feature, such as a ditch. The southwest part of Group 12 and perhaps other parts of Group 12 may be associated with a confluence or nodal point of anomalies such as those above.

Two small anomalies also marked in the report as Group 12, are located northeast of this enclosure and may be associated with the earthworks mentioned above. The response strength appears weak and is not recorded separately, see report for location.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV283760	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1984. DAP/AL. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4-5.
SDV307852	Report - Survey: Gray, V. K.. 1979. Castle Dyke, Ugbrooke Park. Ancient Monuments Wardens Report Form. A4 Single Sheet.
SDV346756	Schedule Document: Ministry of Works. 1958. Castle Dyke, Ugbrooke Park. The Schedule of Monuments. Foolscap.
SDV346758	Personal Comment: Griffith, F. M.. 1984.
SDV352491	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1984. OS/84170. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/84170 V 055-056 04-JUL-1984.
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M). Historic England Research Report. Digital. [Mapped feature: #114108 Enclosures, Earthworks, Cropmarks, ]
	Linked documents:1
SDV361470	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX8778 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017.
SDV366785	Report - Geophysical Survey: Bampton, J. + Balmond, F.. 2025. Land at Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh, Devon: Results of a Geophysical Survey. South West Archaeology. 250305. Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey: Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (Ref: ACD1748)
• EDV9269 - Geophysical Survey: Land at Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh, Devon (Ref: 250305)

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