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Summary

Former field boundaries and a possible deserted settlement or farmstead of medieval date are visible on aerial photographs of 1947 and digital images derived from Lidar data acquired in 2006 as curvilinear earthwork banks, at Mullacott Farm, Ilfracombe.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 19/05/1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2082, NMR RAF/CPE/UK/2082 4069-70 19-MAY-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350392.

Extensive curvilinear earthwork banks defining former field boundaries and possible rectilinear enclosures are visible in low light conditions.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

A single rectangular building, probably agricultural in function, is depicted.

Ordnance Survey, 1930 - 1939, Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV336668.

Mullacott Farm has been established and is depicted.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89114, NMR OS/89114 666-667 04-MAY-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350315.

Mullacott Farm and Honeycleave Farm have not yet expanded as to significantly impact on the relict boundaries.

Environment Agency, 2006, LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution), LIDAR SS5044 Environment Agency D0059627 04-APR-2006 (Cartographic). SDV350492.

The curvilinear earthwork banks and possible rectilinear enclosures remain partially visible, although partly obscured by the development of Honeycleave Farm and Mullacott Farms.

Jenkinson, T., 2007, Barnstaple to Ilfracombe A361 and Old Road (Report - Survey). SDV338891.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref SS5145 08-APR-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349899.

The modern extent of Mullacott Farm and Honeycleave Farm are visible.

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

Former field boundaries and evidence for a possible deserted settlement or farmstead of probable medieval date are visible on aerial photographs of 1947 and digital images derived from Lidar data acquired in 2006 as curvilinear earthwork banks, in the area surrounding Mullacott Farm, Ilfracombe.
The earthwork boundaries extend over more than 40 hectares of rolling hill that forms a spur of land reaching 180 metres aOD between the sharply incised combes of West Wilder Brook and a tributary to the East Wilder Brook. The low earthwork banks define long curvilinear boundaries that typically cross the contours of the hill, with the exception of at least four shorter earthwork banks to the south of Lower Mullacott Farm which might form lynchets climbing the combe side. With the exception of the relict boundary centred on circa SS51484558 and an extant curvilinear field boundary roughly equidistant between Higher and Lower Mullacott Farms, none of the extant field boundaries in the vicinity of Mullacott Farm can be seen to show any continuity from the visible relict medieval field system, indicating a significant phase of landscape reorganisation in the post-medieval period.
A concentration of earthwork banks defining trackways and possible rectilinear enclosures or infields centred at circa SS51244518 is interpreted as forming the nucleus of a possible deserted settlement. These earthworks predate the establishment of the current Mullacott farm at some point between circa 1904 and the 1930s and were probably impacted by its creation and subsequent expansion and division into Honeycleave Farm and Mullacott Farm, comprising a riding and quad-biking centre and campsite respectively. The current extent of these farms, visible on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2010, was probably reached after 1989. It is probable that the deserted farmstead formed a dispersed settlement group with Higher and Lower Mullacott Farms, its holdings probably absorbed by them during a period of post-medieval settlement contraction and inclosure.
The relict earthworks are not clearly visible on any later aerial photographs available to the survey but can be seen on digital images derived from Lidar data acquired in 2006.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336668	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1930 - 1939. Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV338891	Report - Survey: Jenkinson, T.. 2007. Barnstaple to Ilfracombe A361 and Old Road. Devon Milestone Survey. A4 Stapled.
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
SDV349899	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref SS5145 08-APR-2010.
SDV350315	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1989. OS/89114. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR OS/89114 666-667 04-MAY-1989.
SDV350392	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 19/05/1947. RAF/CPE/UK/2082. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/CPE/UK/2082 4069-70 19-MAY-1947.
SDV350492	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2006. LiDAR data JPEG image (1 metre resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SS5044 Environment Agency D0059627 04-APR-2006.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4500 - Milestone Survey from Barnstaple to Ilfracombe
• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

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