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Summary

Rackfield shown on map of 1777. Subsequently the garden of the Angel Hotel, then a tennis court.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS91SE/307

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TENTER GROUND (Post Medieval to XVIII - 1540 AD to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Keene, B. + Butler, D., 1990, Rackfield (Worksheet). SDV341219.

This area is now a derelict tennis court which may soon have council offices built over it. Prior to 1928 it was the garden of The Angel Hotel and showed as such on the Tithe Map of 1842. A map of Tiverton dated 1777, hanging in Tiverton museum, shows several fine pen and ink drawings of local landmarks including 'a view of Tiverton from Westexe'. This clearly shows the old stone bridge, the weir, the new chapel of St. George and on the east bank of the River Exe is the small field of cloth racks depicted as standing in rows east to west across the plot. No written reference to this rackfield has yet been discovered.

Parker, R. + Turton, S. D. + Weddell, P. J., 1999, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Redevelopment in St Andrew Street, Tiverton, Devon, 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV341212.

In the 18th century the area behind St Andrew Street appears to have been occupied by cloth-drying racks. These are depicted on Blackmore's 1777 map of Tiverton as standing in rows , east to west, across the plot. During the 19th century the area belonged to the Angel Inn, which included 'a large garden of about one and a half acres, well stocked and planted'. A map of the Angel Hotel grounds, dated 1919, shows that the property extended southwards as far as the rear of Ham Place, west to the River Exe and east as far as the gardens of the St Andrew Street houses.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4408 - Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Redevelopment in St Andrew Street, Tiverton, Devon

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