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Summary

Post medieval field system comprising a series of enclosures spread as a linear block along the slopes of the Assacombe Brook.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017981: Stone alignment, hut circle settlement, medieval long house and post-medieval farmstead at Assycombe

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE67
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443868
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/116/3
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 28655
• Old SAM Ref: 28655(P)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Constructed, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Several fields are shown on 19th century map Note that the field system, according to the 1796 map, extended further to the north and south.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., 144158 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Site visit 29th April 1997. Post medieval field system at Assycombe. No evaluation of post medieval field systems is currently available and therefore it is not known whether this feature is of national importance. Part of the field system is included within the monument because it lies within a prehistoric settlement of national importance. Map object based on this source.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 157, Map 35, Site 5 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Series of small enclosures shown at 'Assycombe Brook settlement' along the east side of the brook.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(03/06/1995) Centred SX 659827. The remains of Assycombe farmhouse and its associated fields lies on the moderate W-facing slope above the right bank of the Assycombe Brook within what is now Fernworthy Forest.
The associated field system appears to be fairly regular and lacks the cornditches more usually associated with medieval boundaries. Most of the fields are bounded by well-built turf and stone banks or drystone walls. It seems likely that these are late post medieval structures within fairly regular enclosures of similar date.
A building is depicted at 'Assacombe' on an early 19th century estate map (Duchy of Cornwall 1807) and was apparently in use at that time. It also appears on an undated though probably later map (Duchy of Cornwall undated). On this some of the field boundaries at the S end of the farm are annotated as having been removed to provide stone for a newtake wall, the former fields have returned to common.

Newman, P., 2013, Fernworthy Forest Sites Survey (Un-published). SDV351708.

Newman, P., 2013, The Archaeology of Fernworthy Forest, Dartmoor, Devon, 43, Fig. 33 (Report - Survey). SDV351784.

Assacome or Assycombe was one of the largest of the former holdings within the plantation, its enclosures spread as a linear block along the slopes of the Assacombe Brook with the farmstead and courtyard broadly in the centre.

English Heritage, 2014, National Heritage List for England, 1017981 (National Heritage List for England). SDV355683.

[Part of] stone alignment, hut circle settlement, medieval long house and post-medieval farmstead at Assycombe. Surrounding the [post-medieval] farmhouse are at least four yards each defined by low drystone walls and beyond these are several small fields.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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