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Summary

A double-ditched rectilinear enclosure with entrance on its east side is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs taken between 1959 and 1989. It is likely to date to the later prehistoric or Roman period.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002644: Earthwork enclosure 220yds (200m) NE of Church Path Hill Plantation
• SHINE: Iron Age or Romano-British rectilinear, double ditched enclosure south east of Matford House

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX98NW/9
• Old SAM County Ref: 953
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX98NW23

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DOUBLE DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2200 BC to 409 AD)
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2200 BC to 409 AD)

Full description

National Monuments Record, SX9388 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340442.

Balkwill, Untitled Source (Unattributed Sites and Monuments Register Entry). SDV340440.

200 metres north of Church Path Hill is a double-ditched enclosure, rectangular in shape, and a linear causewayed mark, which is very broad. Adjacent rectilinear ditches suggest a field system. The pattern of smaller marks was probably caused by ice-wedges or similar geological phenomena. It lies adjacent to Matford Home Farm.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK/1412, 3251,2 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340446.

Cambridge University, 1959, CUC/ZS, 78-80 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340443.

Other details: Plot by R. J. Silvester.

Cambridge University, 1959, CUC/ZS, CUCAP ZS78 06-JUL-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358891.

A double-ditched rectilinear cropmark is visible.

Ancient Monuments, 1974, Earthwork Enclosure 220 yards (200 metres) North East of Church Path Hill Plantation (Schedule Document). SDV340432.

Rectilinear, bivallate enclosure with entrance on the north east side. Pits may be present scattered over the site - although these may be tree root holes. The site is crossed by a (later?) interupted ditch. On a natural terrace on a north-facing spur above the Exe valley.

Cambridge University Collection, 1975, CUC/BTS, 54,56 (Aerial Photograph). SDV119928.

Other details: 56 in HER, plot by R. J. Silvester.

Cambridge University, 1975, CUCAP BTS, Devon County Council CUCAP BTS056 03-JUL-1975 (Aerial Photograph). SDV2407.

The double ditched encosure is visible, although some parts are indistinct.

Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology, 1979, Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology Vol 5, 74 (Monograph). SDV340435.

Exminster: Enclosure 200 metres north east of church Path Hill Plantation.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1982, SX98NW23 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV340434.

The area is under pasture, with no evidence of these earthworks visible. The double enclosure, at about 45 metres ordnance datum, occupies a shelf on an otherwise steep north slope. Its situation, regularity of setting out, and well positioned entrance suggests an Iron Age/Romano-British date. The alignment of pit cropmarks suggest a boundary work.

Robinson, 1983, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV340433.

Department of Environment Field Monument Warden visit.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/AR, 9A,10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340445.

Robinson, R., 1987 - 2000, Devon Post-Reconnaissance Fieldwork Project (Un-published). SDV342165.

Site occupies slight terrace in moderate north slope. Slight hollow east of present hedge may represent ditch. Diagonal linear feature may be gas main (information from owner). Some other linear features are field boundaries which are shown on the Tithe Map. Other details: Photo J13.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/MM, 15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV340447.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A double rectilinear cropmark, circa 1.5 to 2.5 metres wide and covering 105 by 70 metres, is visible on aerial photographs taken between 1959 and 1989. Its size, shape and location are consistent with an interpretation as a later prehistoric or Roman ditched enclosure. A 5 metre gap in the east side of the inner enclosure may be an entrance into a smaller enclosed area of just over 50 by 40 metres. An interrupted broad linear cropmark (MDV74343) runs diagonally through the enclosure and is presumably not contemporary with it. Narrower cropmarks to the north and east may have formed over the remains of a field system, and this could have been contemporary with the enclosure. Numerous dark roughly circular cropmarks are also visible on several of the photographs. Although these may have an archaeological origin, they do not seem to be closely associated with any of the other cropmarks. An extensive network of narrow irregular cropmarks is likely to have a geological origin, and the circular cropmarks may also have formed over geological anomalies.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV119928	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University Collection. 1975. CUC/BTS. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Photograph (Paper). 54,56.
SDV2407	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University. 1975. CUCAP BTS. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Photograph (Paper). Devon County Council CUCAP BTS056 03-JUL-1975.
SDV340432	Schedule Document: Ancient Monuments. 1974. Earthwork Enclosure 220 yards (200 metres) North East of Church Path Hill Plantation. The Schedule of Monuments. A4 Stapled.
SDV340433	Site Visit: Robinson. 1983. Field Monument Warden Visit. Unknown.
SDV340434	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1982. SX98NW23. Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card. Card Index.
SDV340435	Monograph: Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology. 1979. Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology Vol 5. Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology Report. 5. Unknown. 74.
SDV340440	Unattributed Sites and Monuments Register Entry: Balkwill. Unknown.
SDV340442	Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. SX9388. National Buildings Record Photograph. Unknown.
SDV340443	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University. 1959. CUC/ZS. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unknown. 78-80.
SDV340445	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1984. DAP/AR. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 9A,10.
SDV340446	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. CPE/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3251,2.
SDV340447	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1989. DAP/MM. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 15.
SDV342165	Un-published: Robinson, R.. 1987 - 2000. Devon Post-Reconnaissance Fieldwork Project. Devon Post-Reconnaissance Fieldwork Project. A4 Unbound.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV358891	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University. 1959. CUC/ZS. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Photograph (Paper). CUCAP ZS78 06-JUL-1959. [Mapped feature: #61344 ]

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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