| ID: | SDV366785 |
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| OASIS ID: | southwes1-529049 |
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| Title: | Land at Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh, Devon: Results of a Geophysical Survey |
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| Originator: | Bampton, J. + Balmond, F. |
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| Date: | 2025 |
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| Summary: | The site is located at the Grade II* Listed Registered Park and Garden of Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh; this includes an area of geophysical survey at the Scheduled Castle Dyke Camp hillfort (SM 1003846). Castle Dyke is a univallate Iron Age hillfort, which includes an outer earthwork defining an inner- and outer enclosure. In the early 11th century Chudleigh was the site of a palace for the bishop of Exeter and a house and lands at Ugbrooke are recorded in the 13th century. This property eventually passed from the church through private ownership to the Clifford family in 1604. The current Grade I Listed House was built and modified from the 18th century onward with later outbuildings and an adjacent 17th century former house and chapel. In the late 17th/early 18th century the park and woodlands were improved, which included instatement of avenues that can be seen on mapping from 1740. Major remodelling occurred in the mid and late 18th century and the early 19th century. 1950’s mapping depicts subdivisions of fields in and around the park, including at the hillfort.
Desk Based analysis including processing of LiDAR data was carried out for the defined study area. This recorded 71 features of Prehistoric to modern date – some, such as the hillfort and outwork are already recorded and designated as heritage assets. The majority of features relate to boundaries or paths/tracks of likely post medieval or modern date within the parkland. A number of probable quarries have also been identified. The geophysical survey identified 35 anomaly groups comprised of <c.300 anomalies, of which c.232 were discrete anomalies associated with possible tree-throws or similar features.
The most noteworthy aspects of the geophysical survey results were the presence of an internal curvilinear feature to the inner enclosure of the Monument; the absence of other clear and distinct anomalies within the inner enclosure of the Monument; some improved clarity regarding the earthworks and potential enclosures between the inner and outer enclosures of the Monument associated with HER entry MDV37463; a possible ring ditch that may indicate a prehistoric structure between the inner and outer enclosure and possibly associated with other potential enclosures; relict field systems that seem to be associated with historical features and boundaries and possible tree-throws associated with the wooded nature of parts of the site as depicted on historic mapping. These anomalies cannot generally be dated. However, it seems likely that many of the curving anomalies associated with the inner and outer earthworks are either contemporary with the Iron Age hillfort, or respect and are associated with later modifications to the hillfort. It is not impossible that some ditches and a possible structural ring-ditch predate the hillfort. Medieval and civil war era aspects to the site are a possibility, however the majority of features appear to be associated with post-medieval enclosure, woodland and possible park management/design. Further archaeological works in the form of ground truthing of remote sensing data via walkover survey and targeted intrusive archaeological works outside of the currently Scheduled area of the site are recommended. The latter would test the efficacy and validity of the results of the geophysical survey and aid to confirm the presence or absence of any archaeological resource on the site. |
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| DOI (permanent link): | https://doi.org/10.5284/1139447 |
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| MDV135981 | Bank or Track, Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooks Park, Chudleigh. (Monument) |
| MDV9008 | Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV123418 | Cropmark ditches within the outer enclosure of Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh. (Monument) |
| MDV135983 | Ditch, Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV135986 | Ditch, Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV135982 | Ditch, land at Ugbrook Park, Chudleigh, Devon (Monument) |
| MDV135980 | Ditch, Ugbrook Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV37463 | Enclosure within Castle Dyke Camp outer enclosure in Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV135969 | Field Boundaries and Tracks, Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV123380 | Former field boundaries south of Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV135968 | Pits and Tree Throws, Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV135973 | Ring Ditch, Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV135972 | Track, Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrook Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |
| MDV123420 | Walks or tracks south-west of Castle Dyke Camp, Ugbrooke Park, Chudleigh (Monument) |