See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Former field boundaries and enclosures are visible as earthwork banks on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards and images derived from lidar data on the west and south-west facing slopes of Hense Moor adjacent to Hensemoor House, Luppitt parish. The relict earthworks comprise a rectilinear enclosure and associated field boundaries of probable Romano-British date that appear to have been incorporated into subsequent piecemeal enclosure of probable post-medieval to 19th century date, including curvilinear enclosures and evidence of of possible former orchard.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NE/137

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1880 AD)
• ORCHARD? (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1840 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

The visible earthwork banks did not correspond with any depicted field boundaries.

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

The visible earthwork banks did not correspond with any depicted field boundaries.

RAF, 1947, CPE/UK/1974/2303-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV124976.

Field boundaries and possible ridged cultivation visible on RAF 1947 aerial photograph.

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

Linear and curvilinaer earthwork banks were visible. A small plot of earthwork ridges could be seen within a former field.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 13, Part 1; 94, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 347 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

SMR record former field boundaries and possible ridged cultivation (the latter aligned east/west) visible on 1947 aerial photograph. During field survey remnant of former boundary recorded, surmounted by two oak trees, located at NGR ST 1732 0808 from where it extended northwest for 16 metres . At northwest end of bank another bank was traced running to north for 15 metres, at which point it disappeared into dense vegetation. No other banks, or signs of ridged cultivation were identified. Site lies on hill top under long rough pasture.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 347 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 347 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1707-ST1708 4-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359490.

A small proportion of the relict banks was visible through dense vegetation.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1707-ST1708 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

A small proportion of the relict banks was visible through dense vegetation.

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

The visible earthwork correspond with a number of depicted field boundaries.

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 and enclosures on the west and south-west facing slopes of Hense Moor adjacent to Hensemoor House, Luppitt parish. With the exception of a small enclosure named as ‘White’s plot’ the earthworks did not correspond with any boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Luppit or the Ordnance Survey 25inch First Edition map.
The relict banks are probably evidence of piecemeal encroachment onto the moor from the post-medieval period into the early 19th century that had passed out of by the mid to late 19th century.
Ridge and furrow-like earthworks visible extending over almost 1000 square metres centred on circa ST17320808 are probably those referred to by the above authority as ridged cultivation. It is more probable that the earthwork ridges were evidence of methods used to improve drainage and soil depth in traditional orchard management; similar banks have been recorded throughout the survey area.
The former boundaries are intermittently visible on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010 and 2014. Several of the relict 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 possible former bondaries and a rectilinear enclosure.

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

The morphology of the double banked rectilinear enclosure centred on circa ST17320808 would support an interpretation as a farmstead settlement of Romano-British date. Curvilinear banks to the south may represent associated field boundaries. These earthworks might have been incorporated into subsequent, post-medieval piecemeal encroachment onto the moor.

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; 94, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 347.
SDV124976	Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1947. CPE/UK/1974/2303-4. Aerial Photograph.
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe 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 2303-2304 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #93604 ]
SDV358490	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Mixed Archive Material. Site No. 347.
SDV359019	Report - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003. East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey. Exeter Archaeology Report. 03.26. Site No. 347.
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 ST1707-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 ST1707-ST1708 4-MAY-2010.
SDV366001	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2021. University of Exeter Understanding Landscapes Project - Lidar visualisation. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital.
SDV366090	Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 2024. Lidar interpretation. Not Applicable.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3073 - CPE/UK/1974/2303-4
• EDV3074 - East Devon heathlands archaeological survey
• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.