See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Three ring ditches, two of which are visible as a circular cropmark on aerial photographs taken during the 1980s and 1990s. Possibly ploughed down Bronze Age bowl barrows.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014144: Cursus, long mortuary enclosure, ring ditch and other associated cropmarks 700m east of Netherexe Barton
• SHINE: Neolithic cursus, long mortuary enclosure, Bronze Age ring ditch and undated linears

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1041409
• National Monuments Record: 1041418
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99NW/232/2
• Old SAM Ref: 22340

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

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.

Two small irregular (subcircular/sub square) features associated with fragmentary linear features are shown on the aerial photograph transcriptions, also visible on the western edge of the current survey. A further smaller, and more regular ring form is visible to the west of the mortuary enclosure. This feature is not shown on the aerial photograph transcriptions. These features may represent ring ditches from the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age funerary or ritual structures.

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

A rectilinear cropmark was visible.

Devon County Council, 1989, DAP 6719, DAP 6719/12-13 24-JUN-1989 (MJ) (Aerial Photograph). SDV358476.

A rectilinear cropmark was visible.

Devon County Council, 1989, DAP 6771, DAP 6771/11 12-JUL-1989 (OC) (Aerial Photograph). SDV359183.

A rectilinear cropmark was visible. Map object based on this source.

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

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

A cropmark of a ring ditch 9 metres in diameter was surveyed in 1990 to the south-west of a possible cursus and to the nort-west of a possible long barrow. Other details: Plan.

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 ring ditch lies a short distance to the north-noth-west of the long mortuary enclosure and survives as a 15 metres diameter circle of enhanced crop growth. This feature represents a circular gully and is the ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of a now plough-levelled bowl barrow. 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. Other details: Map.

Griffith, F. M., 1996, DAP/ZW, 3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321043.

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

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

A Bronze Age ring ditch, located 700 metres east of Nether Exe Barton, survives as a 15 metre circle of enhanced crop growth a short distance to the north-north-west of the mortuary enclosure. This feature represents a quarry ditch from which material was taken to produce a now ploughed out barrow. Other details: SX99NW 84: last updated 2005.

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.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Map object based on this source.

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

Of the three possible ring ditches referred to by the above authorities, only that centred at circa SX94039993 was interpreted by the survey as being of probable archaeological origin. The cropmark has been interpreted as evidence of a ditch defined rectilinear enclosure approximately 9 metres long west to east and 6 metres wide, north to south. The rectilinear form of the cropmark makes an interpretation as a ring ditch problematical, but it might be evidence of a form of square barrow.
The possible ring ditches recorded to the north and south were not noted as convincing archaeological cropmarks on the images available to the survey. The cropmark centred on circa SX94059996 is interpreted as probably being of geological origin.
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.

Bayer, O. J. + Griffith, F. M., 2021, Prehistoric Monument Complexes in the Lower Exe Basin, 7; Figs 2, 3 (Article in Serial). SDV365335.

Two small pennanular features were recorded by geophysical survey to the west of the oblong ditch and cursus. Feature A7, previously recorded in aerial photography, is approximately 25m west of the cursus terminal. It is sub-square, measuring 12m by 11m with an apparent break in its western edge. Feature A8, not previously recorded, is visible 22m west of the oblong ditch. It is approximately 5m in diameter with an apparent break on its eastern side. It is likely that these features belong to the continuum of small circular monuments post-dating both the cursus and oblong ditch (MDV57143 + MDV57142). However, given its sub-square plan it is possible that feature A7 might be more akin to Middle Neolithic oval barrows or U-shaped enclosures found in the Thames valley, and therefore contemporary with, or predating the oblong ditch and cursus.

Sources / Further Reading

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.
SDV321043	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1996. DAP/ZW. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3.
SDV321044	Worksheet: Uglow, J.. 1990. Cropmark (Survey July 1990). Devon County Sites and Monuments Register. Worksheet.
SDV342694	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2009. Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West. English Heritage Report. A4 Bound +Digital. 97.
SDV344777	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2010. Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West. English Heritage Report. Digital. 88.
SDV348725	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2012. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital).
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
SDV358476	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1989. DAP 6719. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DAP 6719/12-13 24-JUN-1989 (MJ).
SDV359182	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1984. DAP 9319. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DAP 9319/4A 21-JUN-1984 (O).
SDV359183	Aerial Photograph: Devon County Council. 1989. DAP 6771. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DAP 6771/11 12-JUL-1989 (OC).
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. 7; 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: none recorded

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)

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