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Summary

An elongated rectilinear ditched enclosure with curved terminals was visible on aerial photographs as a cropmark on the west facing slopes north of Rewe, overlooking the Exe Valley. The enclosure might be evidence of a mortuary enclosure, part of a wider ceremonial landscape of probable Neolithic to Bronze Age date including a cursus monument and several barrows.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014144: Cursus, long mortuary enclosure, ring ditch and other associated cropmarks 700m east of Netherexe Barton

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1041409
• National Monuments Record: 448250
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99NW/232/1
• Old SAM Ref: 22340

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MORTUARY ENCLOSURE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)

Full description

National Monuments Record, SS9400, 24-30 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321055.

National Monuments Record, SX9499, 8-9, 18-20 (Aerial Photograph). SDV126975.

Other details: Also 23-25, 29-33, 47, 54-56, 58-59, 61-72, 77-78.

Bayer, O. J., 03/2008, Geophysical Survey of a Cursus, Long Mortuary Enclosure, Ring Ditch and Associated Features at Nether Exe, Devon, 2 (Report - Survey). SDV350645.

The oblong ditched enclosure/mortuary enclosure seen as a crop mark on aerial photographs is clearly visible as a magnetic anomoly in the south western part of the current study area. It measures approximatley 12 metres wide (nw/se) by 50 metres long (sw/ne). The enclosure ditch is approximatley 1.5-2 metres wide and, as on aerial photograph transcriptions, appears to have a break, approximately 3 metres long, close to the north-east corner of the enclosure. This survey has shown the form of the enclosure to be less regular than that depicted on the aerial photograph trancriptions. The enclosure has a pronounced bend towards its southern terminus. No additional features that can be directly related to the enclosure have been identified by the current survey.

Cambridge University, 1959, CUC/ZS, 58-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321048.

Other details: Obliques.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1982, SX99NW43 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV321425.

Aerial Photograph cropmarks of enclosures
1a. Small cursus-like structure with possible extension beyond. Also at least one square enclosure (SX94059993), not particularly large.
1b. Elongated oval enclosure with small entrance to north-east, small sub-square enclosure to north.
2. These cropmarks occur in a field which is currently under pasture. No ground evidence of feature. Other details: Aerial photograph St Joseph 2558-9: 06/07/1959.

Devon County Council, 1984, DAP 9319, DAP 9319/4-4A 21-JUN-1984 (O) (Aerial Photograph). SDV359182.

A rectilinear enclosure with curved terminals was visible as a cropmark.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/O, 4+4a (Aerial Photograph). SDV321053.

Recorded as a cropmark by F Griffith.

Uglow, J., 1984, Flint Scatter (Worksheet). SDV115600.

Field survey 1981, only 100 metre strip along east side available. Flint and chert recovered including cores, scrapers and retouched flakes.
Field survey September 1983, Scatter in north-east corner of field, approximately 60 metres by 80 metres. Flint and chert recovered, including scrapers, flakes and a possible broken chisel arrowhead. Other details: Plan: Flint scatters N3 A-B, D-F.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/KX, 9-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321057.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/MJ, 12-13 (Aerial Photograph). SDV286408.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/NK, 1 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321059.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/OC, 10-15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321060.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/OE, 3-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321061.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/OS, 3-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321427.

Uglow, J., 1990, Cropmark (Survey July 1990) (Worksheet). SDV321044.

Possible long barrow, estimate of overall size - 37 metres by 19 metres. Other details: Plan.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/QS, 9-10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321062.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/RF, 5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321063.

Griffith, F. M., 1990, DAP/RN, 12-13 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321064.

Uglow, J., 1990, Slides SX99 (Ground Photograph). SDV321126.

Other details: 9 slides.

Griffith, F. M., 1991, DAP/TX, 11-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321065.

Devon County Council, 1994, DAP/WJ, 15-17 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321067.

DAP/WJ 15-17 (29/06/1994)

Horner, B., 1994, DAP/WK, 34-36a (Aerial Photograph). SDV321066.

Horner, B., 1994, DAP/WL, 2,4-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV120027.

Horner, B., 1994, DAP/WN, 35 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321069.

Griffith, F. M., 1994, DAP/WV, Devon County Council DAP/WV 12-14 22-JUL-1994 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321070.

A rectilinear enclosure with curved terminals was visible as a cropmark.

Department of National Heritage, 1995, Cursus, Long Mortuary Enclosure, Ring Ditch and Other Associated Cropmarks 700 Metres East of Nether Exe Barton (Schedule Document). SDV126969.

This monument includes part of a cursus, a long mortuary enclosure, ring ditch and other associated crop marks, representing associated buried archaeological remains, situated on a gentle west-facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Exe. The long mortuary enclosure lies 18 metres south-west of the cursus and survives as a 60 metre long and 14 metre wide oval-shaped enclosure surrounded by a ditch. A gap in the north eastern circuit of the ditch represents an original entrance. Fieldwalking of this monument has revealed a significant number of Neolithic flint implements of a type generally associated with ritual sites. Despite limited damage as a result of ploughing, the cursus, long mortuary enclosure, ring ditch and other associated cropmarks 700 metres east of Nether Exe Barton together form an unusual complex of related early prehistoric features. Important information concerning the relationship between the different components of this monument survives and should provide evidence concerning Neolithic ritual activity in western Britain.

Horner, B., 1995, DAP/XP, 7-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321071.

Griffith, F. M., 1995, DAP/XY, 7-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321072.

Griffith, F. M., 1996, DAP/AAR, 6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321073.

Griffith, F. M., 1996, DAP/ABC, 1-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321074.

Miller, A., 1996, RCHME Aerial Photograph Primary Recording Project (Interpretation). SDV53184.

A rapid examination of air photography shows this elongated enclosure, probably a Neolithic mortuary enclosure, visible as a cropmark. The enclosure is situated at the south-west end of a probable Neolithic cursus.

National Monuments Record, 2009, 1041409 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV126971.

A Neolithic cursus and long mortuary enclosure and a Bronze Age ring ditch and other associated crop marks located 700 metres east of Netherexe Barton. The long mortuary enclosure survives 18 metres south-west of the cursus as a 60 metres long and 14 metres wide oval shaped enclosure surrounded by a ditch. A gap in the north eastern circuit of the ditch represents an original entrance. Surface finds near these monuments include a large number of Neolithic flint implements. Other details: SX99NW 84. Last updated 2005.

National Monuments Record, 2009, 448250 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343007.

An elongated rectilinear enclosure with curved terminals is visible as a cropmark on air photographs. Possibly a Neolithic mortuary enclosure, it is aligned roughly north-east to south-west, measuring circa 48 metres by 9 metres, with a small entrance or causeway at the north-eastern end. The enclosure is located close to the south-western end of the possible cursus SX 99 NW 84. Other details: SX99NW 43.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 97 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Extensive significant problems, ie under plough, collapse. Principal vulnerability arable ploughing.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 88 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 92 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Extensive significant problems, ie under plough, collapse. Declining. Principal vulnerability arable ploughing.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

The remains of a possible mortuary enclosure of probable Neolithic date was visible on aerial photographs as a cropmark of an elongated rectilinear ditched enclosure with curved terminals on the west facing slopes north of Rewe, overlooking the Exe Valley. The cropmark was 1 to 2 metres wide and defined an enclosure circa 50 metres long north-east to south-west, and 11 metres across. A break in the cropmark of the buried ditch to the north-eastern corner of the enclosure might be evidence of an entrance approximately 4.5 metres wide. No internal features were visible as cropmarks on the aerial photographs available to the survey. The enclosure was part of a wider ceremonial landscape of probable Neolithic to Bronze Age date including a cursus monument 15 metres to the north-east and several barrows in the immediate area, visible as cropmarks or low earthwork mounds.
Many of the aerial photographs consulted by the survey are copies of DAPs held by the Historic England Archive. In some cases these have been recorded as separate sources. This is because variations in the way the prints have been processed could result in images on which archaeological features are visible to a greater or lesser degree than on the originals.

Devon County Council, 2019, Google Earth Aerial Photograph Pilot Project, GE49 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363341.

(SX 94046 99888) Enclosure north-west of Rewe. Cursus MDV57142 and enclosure MDV57143 visible on the 2018 Google Earth aerial image. Linears and possible round enclosure also visible at the north end of the field cut by the road. Neolithic to Romano-British date.

Bayer, O. J. + Griffith, F. M., 2021, Prehistoric Monument Complexes in the Lower Exe Basin, 4; Figs 2, 3 (Article in Serial). SDV365335.

The Nether Exe oblong ditch is one of approximately 20 similar sites known in Devon, of which only four have been excavated. It is one of the smaller examples in the county.
Geophysical survey by Bayer shows the enclosure to be less regular than previously depiced in aerial photo transcriptions, with a noticeable bend towards its south-western terminus. No additional features that can be directly related to the enclosure were identified, although the presence of a ring ditch or ovoid feature in a slightly offset position is a recurrent feature in many of these monumnets.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV115600	Worksheet: Uglow, J.. 1984. Flint Scatter. Devon County Sites and Monuments Register. Worksheet.
SDV120027	Aerial Photograph: Horner, B.. 1994. DAP/WL. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 2,4-6.
SDV126969	Schedule Document: Department of National Heritage. 1995. Cursus, Long Mortuary Enclosure, Ring Ditch and Other Associated Cropmarks 700 Metres East of Nether Exe Barton. The Schedule of Monuments. A4 Stapled.
SDV126971	National Monuments Record Database: National Monuments Record. 2009. 1041409. National Monuments Record Index. Website.
SDV126975	Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. SX9499. National Monuments Record Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 8-9, 18-20.
SDV286408	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1989. DAP/MJ. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 12-13.
SDV321044	Worksheet: Uglow, J.. 1990. Cropmark (Survey July 1990). Devon County Sites and Monuments Register. Worksheet.
SDV321048	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University. 1959. CUC/ZS. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Photograph (Paper). 58-9.
SDV321053	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1984. DAP/O. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4+4a.
SDV321055	Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. SS9400. National Monuments Record Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 24-30.
SDV321057	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1988. DAP/KX. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 9-12.
SDV321059	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1989. DAP/NK. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 1.
SDV321060	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1989. DAP/OC. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 10-15.
SDV321061	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1989. DAP/OE. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3-6.
SDV321062	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1990. DAP/QS. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 9-10.
SDV321063	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1990. DAP/RF. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 5.
SDV321064	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1990. DAP/RN. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 12-13.
SDV321065	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1991. DAP/TX. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 11-12.
SDV321066	Aerial Photograph: Horner, B.. 1994. DAP/WK. Devon County Council Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 34-36a.
SDV321067	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1994. DAP/WJ. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 15-17.
SDV321069	Aerial Photograph: Horner, B.. 1994. DAP/WN. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 35.
SDV321070	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1994. DAP/WV. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). Devon County Council DAP/WV 12-14 22-JUL-1994. [Mapped feature: #95691 ]
SDV321071	Aerial Photograph: Horner, B.. 1995. DAP/XP. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 7-8.
SDV321072	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1995. DAP/XY. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 7-12.
SDV321073	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1996. DAP/AAR. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 6.
SDV321074	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1996. DAP/ABC. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 1-2.
SDV321126	Ground Photograph: Uglow, J.. 1990. Slides SX99. Slide.
SDV321425	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1982. SX99NW43. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.
SDV321427	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1989. DAP/OS. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3-7.
SDV342694	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2009. Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West. English Heritage Report. A4 Bound +Digital. 97.
SDV343007	National Monuments Record Database: National Monuments Record. 2009. 448250. National Monuments Record Index. Website.
SDV344777	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2010. Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West. English Heritage Report. Digital. 88.
SDV350645	Report - Survey: Bayer, O. J.. 03/2008. Geophysical Survey of a Cursus, Long Mortuary Enclosure, Ring Ditch and Associated Features at Nether Exe, Devon. University of Bristol. A3 Stapled + Digital. 2.
SDV355280	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2011. Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West. english Heritage. Digital. 92.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV359182	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1984. DAP 9319. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DAP 9319/4-4A 21-JUN-1984 (O).
SDV365335	Article in Serial: Bayer, O. J. + Griffith, F. M.. 2021. Prehistoric Monument Complexes in the Lower Exe Basin. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 79. Paperback Volume. 4; Figs 2, 3.
SDV53184	Interpretation: Miller, A.. 1996. RCHME Aerial Photograph Primary Recording Project. RCHME Aerial Photograph Primary Recording Project. Map (Paper).

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV198 - TOOL (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)
• FDV199 - TOOL (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV6075 - Geophysical Survey of a Cursus, Long Mortuary Enclosure, Ring Ditch and Associated Features at Nether Exe, Devon
• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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