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Summary

A linear earthwork bank may have been an eighteenth century surfaced routeway through parkland at Tetcott, linking the road to Tetcott House. It is likely to have passed out of use during the second part of the nineteenth century when the landscape appears to have been redesigned.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Site of Old Tetcott House, 18th century stables listed Grade II and The Wilderness, a 19th century 'pocket' park created from earlier Tudor and 17th century gardens and landscaping

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TRACKWAY (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

A linear pathway is depicted.

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

The path is not depicted.

Environment Agency, 2000-2019, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Environment Agency LAST RETURN 19-DEC-2004 (Cartographic). SDV363954.

A curvilinear bank is visible as an earthwork.

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2001-2002, Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Transcriptions and Database Records (Interpretation). SDV346287.

A series of closely parallel ditches had previously been transcribed as part of the Tamar Valley NMP project. This feature has been re-transcribed with greater accuracy based upon recent lidar data as part of the 2020-21 Tamar/Lidar project.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

A linear bank is visible.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Tellus LAST RETURN 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV363955.

A curvilinear bank is visible as an earthwork.

Knight, S., 2013-2015, Land Management Case Work, 22-April-2014 (Personal Comment). SDV351543.

A clearly defined narrow linear bank is visible as an earthwork on the north side of the fishpond within parkland at Tetcott. It is aligned approximately north-east to south-west, and apparently provided access between the road at Moortown and the site of the demolished Queen Anne period Tetcott House (MDV106867). The bank corresponds to a pathway depicted on the Tithe map, but is not depicted on the late nineteenth century mapping and is likely to have passed out of use when the parkland was transformed into the picturesque tradition. The bank is very dry and is likely to have been surfaced; a partial wooden post and rail fence is currently sited along it, but is due to be removed under Higher Level Environmental Stewardship.

Nicholas Pearson Partnership LLP, 2014, TETCOTT WILDERNESS, HIGHER LEVEL STEWARDSHIP MANAGEMENT PLANS, 2014, 18-19 (Report - non-specific). SDV358107.

Two parallel linear earthworks, one of which forms the public footpath to Moortown, appear to be aligned on the c.1700 mansion, suggesting a once impressive double approach, perhaps to a formal entrance court. Routes may have developed from more ancient routes to and from the manor and church. Provides critical evidence of the pre-1837 landscape. Minor erosion due to waterlogged ground, probably caused by a blocked drain. Proposals include: Protect archaeology from deliberate ground disturbance & compaction; remove young trees planted on earthworks; retain those where consistent with the historic record, as planted avenues; monitor to avoid erosion and damage; consider production of a detailed, measured earthwork survey, to inform the early history of the site.

Hegarty, C., Houghton, E., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2020-2021, Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 2 (Culture Recovery Fund project) (Interpretation). SDV364011.

A curvilinear bank circa 250 metres in length and between 3 and 10 metres in width orientated approximately north-east to south-west is visible as an earthwork on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2004 and 2013. It is situated within the grounds of Tetcott Manor and appears to join the roadside to the north-east.
A series of closely parallel ditches had previously been transcribed as part of the Tamar Valley NMP project. This feature has been re-transcribed with greater accuracy based on recent lidar data.
The earthwork bank corresponds approximately with a path or road depicted on the available historic maps and is interpreted as its remaining evidence.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6770 - TETCOTT WILDERNESS HIGHER LEVEL STEWARDSHIP MANAGEMENT PLANS, 2014 (Ref: TET.154)
• EDV8356 - Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 2 (Culture Recovery Fund) (Ref: ACD2424)

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