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Summary

A possible circular Bronze Age hilltop enclosure located 380 metres west of Middle Soar. A hedgebank dated to a later period crosses the eastern edge of the site. This feature appears, on aerial photographs, as a roughly circular level area apparently terraced into the hillside. However, it is unclear if this is a natural or man-made feature. It is visible as indistinct scarps on 1946 air photographs, but appears to have subsequently been ploughed level.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019533: Hilltop enclosure 380m east of Middle Soar
• SHINE: Prehistoric circular hilltop enclosure east of Middle Soar

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1345011
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX73NW/169
• Old SAM Ref: 33781

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Early Iron Age - 2200 BC to 301 BC (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, NMR RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2023-2025 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

A roughly circular level area is visible as an earthwork.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, Hilltop Enclosure 380 Metres East of Middle Soar (Schedule Document). SDV343416.

A circular prehistoric hilltop enclosure on a gentle south facing slope, with views down a short valley and along the coast to the east. It lies within a coaxial field system, a relict part of which is the subject of a separate scheduling. The enclosure measures 81 metres in diameter across its visible earthworks and is surrounded by an earthen bank 12 metres wide, surviving between 0.3 metres high on the north side and 0.6 metres high on the south. A buried ditch up to 5 metres wide and visible on aerial photographs surrounds the bank, surviving as an earthwork up to 0.15 metres deep on the west side. A later hedgebank crosses the eastern edge of the site.

Winton, H. + Bowden, M., 2009, East Soar, Devon: Air Photo Assessment and Survey (Report - Survey). SDV351406.

The feature described by authority 1 appears as a roughly circular level area, apparently terraced into the hillside. However, it is unclear if this is a natural or man-made feature. It is visible as indistinct scarps on 1946 air photographs, but appears to have subsequently been ploughed level. No ditch was visible.
A survey of all aerial photographs and lidar of the area found no traces of the coaxial field system referred to by the Scheduling description. It is possible that parts of the medieval or post medieval boundaries, still in use today, have earlier origins but there is no clear evidence of this.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 108 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Extensive significant problems. Principal vulnerability arable ploughing.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 101 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 106 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Extensive significant problems. Declining. Principal vulnerability arable ploughing.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

All East Soar Air Photo Assessment and Survey (SDV351406) details were accessioned to the Devon HER as part of the South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV342694	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2009. Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West. English Heritage Report. A4 Bound +Digital. 108.
SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital).
SDV343416	Schedule Document: Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2001. Hilltop Enclosure 380 Metres East of Middle Soar. The Schedule of Monuments. A4 Stapled.
SDV344777	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2010. Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West. English Heritage Report. Digital. 101.
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2023-2025 10-DEC-1946.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351406	Report - Survey: Winton, H. + Bowden, M.. 2009. East Soar, Devon: Air Photo Assessment and Survey. English Heritage. 50-2009. Digital + A4.
SDV355280	Report - non-specific: English Heritage. 2011. Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West. english Heritage. Digital. 106.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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