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HER Number: | MDV71054 |
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Name: | Droveway from Halwill Junction to the Okement |
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Summary
Possible ancient droveway or a series of droveways from Halwill Junction to the River Okement. Parts of the route is conjectural but the fact that it follows parish boundaries and passes the site of a Roman brick works suggests that it, or at least sections of it, are Roman or medieval in origin.
Location
Grid Reference: | SS 513 020 |
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Map Sheet: | SS50SW |
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Admin Area | Devon |
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Civil Parish | Halwill |
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District | Torridge |
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Ecclesiastical Parish | HALWILL |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses: none recorded
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- DROVE ROAD (Roman to Post Medieval - 43 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
Full description
Exeter Archaeology, 2004, Summary Archaeological Assessment of the Proposed Site of the new Primary School, Halwill Junction, 7, 9 (Report - Assessment). SDV1968.
The track leading east from Halwill Junction past Dreybury Farm appears to cut through an earlier field system. The line of the track can be traced for circa three kilometres eastward by the alignment of field and parish boundaries. The track is shown as a continuous route between Halwill Junction and Hatherleigh on Donn's 1765 map of Devon and on the 1803-7 Ordnance Survey 2 inch drawing No 29 East. Its fossilisation by the parish boundary suggests it to have been in existence at least by the 12th century.
Horner, B., 2019, Droveway (Personal Comment). SDV362844.
Part of the route, particularly the middle section, is conjectural but it can generally be seen to follow droveways shown on 19th century mapping, parish boundaries, field boundaries and extant roads. The section across Hatherleigh Moor is also visible as earthworks on LiDAR. The fact that the route passes the site of Roman brick works on the moor suggests that at least some of it may be early in origin.
Horner, B., 21/04/2017, Runnon Moor, Hatherleigh (Correspondence). SDV360576.
The possible routeway may coincide with the A3072 (or run a little to its south) in the Runnon Moor area. The map shows the possible alignment on the southwest side of Hatherleigh. It has been traced from Halwill Junction, via a sequence of lanes, green-lanes, paths, parish boundaries etc. It also appears to continue eastwards across the south side of Hatherleigh Moor to Deckport Farm and possible on to the Okement.
If it is a routeway, it could be simply a former droveway, or series of droveways. Or it could be earlier in origin. It runs close to the Roman tile kilns on Hatherleigh Moor, and there are later brick works on Runnon Moor, so maybe it was related to mineral extraction. There are not any obvious Roman start and end points, so a later origin is probably likely.
Sources / Further Reading
SDV1968 | Report - Assessment: Exeter Archaeology. 2004. Summary Archaeological Assessment of the Proposed Site of the new Primary School, Halwill Junction. Exeter Archaeology Report. 04.02. A4 Stapled + Digital. 7, 9. |
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SDV360576 | Correspondence: Horner, B.. 21/04/2017. Runnon Moor, Hatherleigh. Addition of HER record. Digital. |
SDV362844 | Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 2019. Droveway. Not Applicable. |
Associated Monuments
MDV71055 | Related to: Dreybury Farm, Halwill Junction (Monument) |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events: none recorded
Date Last Edited: | Feb 27 2019 10:02AM |
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