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Summary

Site of The Lake marked on 19th century mapping, a formal lake with an island in the middle, and surrounded by a path and seats. By the early 20th century it had been cut across by a railway and the remnant of the lake had become an area of mud. The mud appears to have gradually dried up and the area is shown as tree-covered on the 1930s Ordnance Survey map. By the 1960s the site was in use as a car park. It is now occupied by the Civic Centre.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit Site Code: Site 75
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS53SE/420

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LAKE (XVIII to Late 20th Century - 1751 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map (Cartographic). SDV338879.

The Lake marked. It is depicted as a triangular lake with an island in the middle surrounded by seating with a flagstaff in an open area at the north-east end. Map o bject based on this source.

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

The Lake marked.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

The 1904-1906 map shows the lake to have been cut across by a railway and the remaining area of the lake is marked as mud.

Ordnance Survey, 1930 - 1939, Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV336668.

Shown as an open area with trees.

Ordnance Survey, 1930 - 1939, Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV336668.

Area planted with trees.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1991, North Devon Archaeological Site Code Index, Site 75 (Report - non-specific). SDV63429.

Riverine deposits recorded during extension works to the civic centre in 1986.

Chris Blandford Associates, 1997, Barnstaple Western Bypass and Urban Relief Road Stage 4. Environmental Assessment Phase A, 21 (Report - Assessment). SDV347381.

The area now occupied by the Civic Cente was open marsh and water in the 19th century. On the 1887 Ordnance Survey map the area is shown as a lake with an island in the centre, but this was presumably filled in when the Lyntom railway was built in 1898. In 1903 the Ordnance Survey shows an area of mud, and by 1938, three years after the Lynton railway had closed, maps show that the area had been planted with trees. By 1965 air photographs show the area in use as a car park and by 1970 the Civic Centre had been built.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, Barnstaple Castle Car Park Scheme: Phase 1: Archaeological Assessment, 28 (Report - Assessment). SDV319631.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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