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Summary

A medieval to post-medieval trackway or road leading to the former homestead of West Mead and beyond is partially depicted on historic maps and visible as earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 and 2019.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TRACKWAY (Early Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1066 AD to 1966 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

Part of the curvilinear ditch corresponds to an L-shaped road circa 275 metres in length depicted leading to a homestead with gardens at West Mead (Plot 447). The road joins an extant road to the south. Two sections of ditch at both the north-west and south-east ends do not correspond with any depicted features.

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

Part of the curvilinear ditch corresponds to an L-shaped road, with a short section of narrow track leading from its north-western end. The homestead of West Mead is no longer depicted, the plot being depicted as rough ground. Two sections of ditch at both the north-west and south-east ends do not correspond with any depicted features.

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

An L-shaped road is depicted.

Ordnance Survey, 1953-1969, Ordnance Survey map (Cartographic). SDV349895.

The ditch does not correspond to any depicted features - the road leading to West Mead is no longer depicted.

Environment Agency, 2000-2019, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Environment Agency LAST RETURN 23-FEB-2019 (Cartographic). SDV363954.

A curvilinear earthwork ditch is visible.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 1715 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Track shown on Tithe Map leading to West Mead Farm. Track no longer present. Other details: 1715.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Tellus LAST RETURN 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV363955.

A curvilinear earthwork ditch is visible.

Hegarty, C., Houghton, E., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2020-2021, Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 2 (Culture Recovery Fund project) (Interpretation). SDV364011.

A curvilinear ditch circa 485 metres in length, between 7 and 20 metres in width, and orientated north-west to south-east is visible as an earthwork on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 and 2019. A section of ditch branches to the south for 50 metres from its south-east part. The ditch joins an extant section of road in two places to the south-east.
The ditch corresponds partially with an L-shaped road depicted on the available 19th century maps. The road is shown leading from the road to the south to and through the homestead of West Mead on the Tithe Map, which passed out of use prior to circa 1880 (MDV75347). The road passed out of use by the mid-20th century.
The north-west section of ditch corresponds to field boundaries depicted on the available 19th century maps, however it presents as a wider and more defined earthwork than surrounding former field boundaries.
The south-east section of ditch does not correspond to any features depicted on the available 19th century maps, however it joins the extant road to the south-east.
The ditch is interpreted as a medieval to post-medieval road or trackway that lead to and through West Mead until the mid to late-19th century, sections of which passed out of use prior to circa 1840 and sections of which passed out of use in the mid-20th century.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8356 - Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 2 (Culture Recovery Fund) (Ref: ACD2424)

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