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Summary

Narrow ridge and furrow is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs from the 1940s to the 1970s. The earthworks are probably the result of modern deep ploughing for agricultural improvement and drainage.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• NARROW RIDGE AND FURROW (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Areas of rough ground or unimproved pasture depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition map largely coincide with the extent of narrow ridge and furrow visible on aerial photographs.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1631, 2083-2084 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349023.

Narrow linear parallel earthworks, probably the result of modern deep ploughing for agricultural improvement and drainage, are visible on RAF aerial photographs of July 1946. Other details: NMR RAF/106G/UK/1631 2083-4 8-JUL-1946.

Ordnance Survey, 1977, OS/77023, 016-017 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349036.

Narrow linear parallel earthworks, probably the result of modern deep ploughing for agricultural improvement and drainage, continue to be visible on Ordnance Survey aerial photographs of May 1977. Other details: NMR OS/77023 016-017 19-MAY-1977.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011 - 2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

Narrow ridge and furrow of probable modern date is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs from 1946 to 1977, circa 500 metres to the north of Downe House, Hartland. Five adjacent fields appear to have been deep-ploughed to improve drainage for agriculture, resulting in the ridged earthworks covering an area of circa 9 hectares. The improvement is focused on 3 fields on the south facing slope of a shallow combe, centred on circa SS 244259. Two further areas, the first in a field immediately to the west at circa SS 24182586 and the second to the south of the steam at SS 24922570, also appear to have been improved in this manner. The earthworks are aligned roughly north to south and are between and 5 to 7 metres apart. The visible earthworks largely coincide with areas depicted as unimproved grassland on the Ordnance Survey first edition map, and are likely to have been constructed after the map’s publication in the 1880s or 1890s, to facilitate drainage into the stream that flows along the foot of the combe. The main body of earthworks continue to be visible on aerial photographs of 1977 but are not clearly visible in any aerial photographs taken after this date and may have been levelled by further improvements.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011 - 2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349023	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1631. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 2083-2084. [Mapped feature: #107945 ]
SDV349036	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1977. OS/77023. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). 016-017.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

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