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Summary

The remains of ridges or low banks of probable post-medieval to 19h century date were visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of the 1940s and digital images derived from lidar data as low, parallel earthwork banks on the south-east facing slopes south of Langbeer Farm, Stockland. The earthworks might have been made to improve drainage for fruit tree planting, or simply for improved land drainage.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST20SW/241

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) CULTIVATION MARKS (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• ORCHARD? (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1840 AD (Between))

Full description

APH/R.PALMER, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV133602.

Ridged cultivation identified on ap (aph/palmer).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV133603.

Des=palmer, r. /blackdown hills aonb aerial photographic assessment/(1992).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV133604.

Des=emafu blackdown hills survey 1992 archive.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV133605.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk/1974:4310.

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

The plot is not depicted as an orchard. Several orchards are shown in the immediate area.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RS 4308-4309 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A small area of earthwork ridge and furrow was visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

The remains of ridges or low banks of probable post-medieval to 19h century date were visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1947, parallel earthwork banks on the south-east facing slopes south of Langbeer Farm, Stockland. The ridges were clearly visible over a small are of circa 1000 square metres and were spaced on average circa 4 metres apart. They were aligned cross-contour roughly NE-SW, probably to enhance drainage into the adjacent stream.
The earthworks resemble banks made to improve drainage for orchard planting, as recorded by NMP surveys elsewhere in Devon, but the plot is listed as a meadow on the Tithe Apportionment for Stockland.
Several of the surrounding plots remain depicted as orchards on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map and it is possible that the plots recorded here were previously cultivated as orchards, but that their land use changed prior to circa 1840, possibly for agricultural rotation.
A slightly greater area of banks can be seen on digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2016, and therefore probably survive as low earthworks.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV133602	Migrated Record: APH/R.PALMER.
SDV133603	Migrated Record:
SDV133604	Migrated Record:
SDV133605	Aerial Photograph:
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RS 4308-4309 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #93476 ]
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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