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Summary

Curvilinear banks and rectilinear enclosures are visible as earthworks on the south-west facing slopes of Hense Moor, Luppitt parish, on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards and images derived from lidar data. The earthworks might represent enclosures and field boundaries representative of piecemeal enclosure of the moor of medieval to 19th century date but may also comprise elements of prehistoric activity.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks of former building of Nineteenth century or earlier date and Parish Boundary, on Hense Moor

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NE/136
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Iron Age to XIX - 700 BC (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to XIX - 700 BC (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

RAF, 1947, CPE/UK/1974/2303-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV124980.

Earthwork field boundaries visible on RAF 1947 aerial photograph appear to form part of same system as parish boundary (see PRN 7707).

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RS 2303-2304 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Earthwork bank defined enclosures and boundaries were visible. Map object based on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, OS/82219 V, OS/82219 V 1626-1627 03-SEP-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357675.

Former earthwork bank defined enclosures and boundaries remained visible, with some hedgerow planting grown out.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 13, Part 1; 96, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 353 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

SMR records banks of former field boundaries visible on RAF 1947 aerial photograph. Appears to form part of same system as parish boundary. During field survey no banks detected in this area. Hilltop under meadow grasses and hillslope under dense bracken.
Map object based on this source.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 353 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 353 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1708 4-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359490.

The relict banks remained partly visible, with large areas obscured by vegetation.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1708 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

The relict banks remained partly visible, with large areas obscured by vegetation.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

The relict banks are depicted in part as extant on the current MasterMap layer.

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

Relict earthwork banks could be seen on aerial photographs of 1947 onwards defining former field boundaries, enclosures and possible routes on the south-west facing slopes of Hense Moor, Luppitt parish. The earthworks did not correspond with any boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Luppit but did match, at least partially, some boundaries shown on the Ordnance Survey 25inch First Edition map; for clarity all the visible earthworks have been transcribed by the survey, even if depicted on the historic map.
The historic map evidence might support the interpretation that the boundaries had been constructed and partly fallen out of use from the mid to late 19th century. It is more likely that the relict banks are evidence of piecemeal encroachment onto the common from the medieval to post-medieval period to the 19th century.
The relict earthworks probably include a continuation of the parish boundary, a section of which has been recorded separately as MDV7707.
The former boundaries remain visible in part on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010 and 2014. Several banks are also partially depicted on the current OS MasterMap base layer, and therefore probably survive as earthworks, albeit obscured in parts by dense scrub vegetation.

Environment Agency, 2021, University of Exeter Understanding Landscapes Project - Lidar visualisation (Cartographic). SDV366001.

Linear and curvilinear banks are visible as earthworks defining rectilinear enclosures and a curvilinear field pattern.

Horner, B., 2024, Lidar interpretation (Personal Comment). SDV366090.

The earthworks visible on the Unlocking Landscapes lidar visualisations indicate that the relict field systems extend farther north than previously identified. The field system and enclosure morphology supports the interpretation of largely a medieval origin, but might incorporate earlier, Romano-British elements.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV101648	Report - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Exeter Archaeology Report. 03.26. A4 Unbound + Digital. 13, Part 1; 96, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 353.
SDV124980	Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1947. CPE/UK/1974/2303-4. Aerial Photograph.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RS 2303-2304 11-APR-1947.
SDV357675	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1982. OS/82219 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/82219 V 1626-1627 03-SEP-1982.
SDV358490	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Mixed Archive Material. Site No. 353.
SDV359019	Report - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Exeter Archaeology Report. 03.26. Site No. 353.
SDV359352	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2016. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.
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
SDV359479	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2014. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1708 08-SEP-2014.
SDV359490	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1708 4-MAY-2010.
SDV366001	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2021. University of Exeter Understanding Landscapes Project - Lidar visualisation. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. [Mapped feature: #93603 ]
SDV366090	Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 2024. Lidar interpretation. Not Applicable.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3088 - East Devon heathlands archaeological survey
• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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