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Summary

A ditched enclosure visible as a three or four concentric rectilinear cropmark ditches on aerial photographs on the south-eastern slope of Stoneditch Hill is probably of Iron Age or Romano British date.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Cropmarks of triple ditched square enclosure of probable Iron Age or Romano British date on Stoneditch Hill

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1459874

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to Roman - 700 BC to 409 AD)

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

The enclosure is located in a field named as 'Stone Ditch' on the Berrynarbor Tithe Apportionment (Plot 670).

Royal Air Force, 1955, RAF 82/1281 (F22), RAF 82/1281 (F22) 0054 29-AUG-1955 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350653.

A concentric rectilinear ditch defined cropmark enclosure is visible.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

Cropmarks of four concentric square enclosures visible.

Exmoor National Park, 2009, Exmoor National Park National Mapping Programme (Archive - Survey). SDV350587.

A rectilinear ditched enclosure visible on aerial photographs as a cropmark on the south-eastern slope of Stoneditch Hill, Combe Martin is probably of Iron Age or Romano British date. Centred at SS 5863 4507 the enclosure covers an area of at least 0.5 hectares on a steep south-eastern facing slope, looking downslope of Stoneditch Hill.
It is located next to an area of natural geological outcropping, and may have incorporated this outcrop into the northern edge of the outer earthworks. The cropmarks define a triple ditched square enclosure. The central enclosure measures approximately 38 metres square, with a probable entranceway on the south eastern side. The two external ditches are less clear, but appear to measure a minimum of 60 metres square and 64 metres by 63 metres, with the outermost ditch visible only on two sides of the enclosure. The corners of each ditch are slightly curved. An entranceway through all three ditches is visible on the south eastern side, with two lateral arms running east to west from the entrance on the outermost ditch.
It seems likely from the position of the entrances that all three ditches were contemporary, rather than representing three different phases of construction or use. Similar enclosures photographed as cropmarks in other areas of Devon have been ascribed to the Iron Age or Romano British period. Further study is required to assess the level of preservation and the function of this enclosure

Google, 2020, Google Earth image of enclosure on Stoneditch Hill, Berrynarbor (Aerial Photograph). SDV365273.

The enclosure shows very clearly on the Google Earth 2020 image, comprising three or four concentric, square enclosures with aligned entrances in the centre of the eastern side. An adjoining enclosure is visible at the south-east corner.

Unknown, Unknown, Stoneditch Hill (Aerial Photograph). SDV348643.

Cropmarks of four concentric square enclosures visible.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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