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Summary

Narrow ridge and furrow is visible as earthworks in aerial photographs from 1946, probably a result of modern agricultural improvement through deep ploughing for improved drainage. By 1999 two of the five areas still had visible earthwork remains and cropmarks were visible in a third.

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

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1631, 2079-2080 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349023.

Narrow ridges approximately 5 to 7 metres apart are clearly visible as earthworks over five separate fields, following different orientations in different fields. They are probably a result of deep ploughing for improved drainage. Other details: DCC RAF/106G/UK/1631 2079-2080 08-JUL-1946.

Ordnance Survey, 1977, OS/77023, 021-022 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349036.

The ridge and furrow is visible as cropmarks in only one of the former fields (centered at SS2589525841), and pale linear cropmarks of a modern below-ground drainage system are visible. Other details: NMR OS/77023 021-022 19-MAY-1977.

GetMapping, 1999, 089/99, 0262-0263 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349037.

Although the field boundaries separating them have been removed, some of the areas of ridge and furrow (those centred at SS2589525841 and SS2591025725) are clearly visible as continuous earthworks in both harvested and non-harvested areas (as are the remains of the removed field boundaries). Although no ridge and furrow is visible in the northern area, they may survive here as below-ground features. Other details: DCC GM/089/99 0262-0263 24-JUL-1999.

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

Narrow ridge and furrow 5 to 7 metres apart is visible as earthworks in five fields on aerial photographs from 1946. The ridges follow different alignments in the separate fields, but are similar in definition, so the separate ploughing events are likely to have been undertaken within a short time of each other, presumably for improved drainage; a common mid-twentieth century activity in this part of north Devon. By 1977 below-ground drainage appears to have been installed to further improve the land, and several of the field boundaries had been removed, athough they are still visible on aerial photographs as low banks. By 1999 the remaining field boundaries between the areas of ridge and furrow had been removed, and are visible on aerial photographs as low banks or cropmarks. However two of the five ridge and furrow areas still had visible earthwork remains, and cropmarks were visible in a third.

Sources / Further Reading

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). 2079-2080. [Mapped feature: #108016 ]
SDV349036	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1977. OS/77023. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). 021-022.
SDV349037	Aerial Photograph: GetMapping. 1999. 089/99. GetMapping Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 0262-0263.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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