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Summary

An orchard of possible post-medieval origin was located to the north and west of Townhill Farm, Broad Clyst. The distinctive remains of earthwork ridges or banks, made to provide increased soil depth and improved drainage for fruit tree planting, were visible on aerial photographs of the 1960s. The ridges have probably been levelled.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Traditional farm buildings marked on nineteenth century mapping at Townhill Farm

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XX - 1540 AD to 1967 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The banks correspond with the orchard depicted at Townhill (Hill) Farm.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3164-3165 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354994.

The orchard had been largely cleared of trees and earthwork banks were visible.

BKS Surveys Ltd, 1967, BKS/2822, BKS/2822 V 3001-3002 14-MAR-1967 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354836.

The orchard remained largely cleared of trees and earthwork banks were still visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2012, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution), LIDAR SY0098 Environment Agency JPG DSM 19-DEC-2005 (Cartographic). SDV357034.

The ridges survive as low earthwork banks in the northern half of the former orchard.

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

An orchard of possible post-medieval origin was located to the north and west of Townhill Farm, Broad Clyst. The distinctive remains of earthwork ridges or banks, made to provide increased soil depth and improved drainage for fruit tree planting, were visible on aerial photographs of the 1960s.
The visible ridges were circa 4 metres wide and orientated roughly west to east across the contours of the prevailing slope. The banks corresponded to an orchard depicted on the Ordnance Survey first edition 25 inch map, but the orchard had been largely cleared of trees by the 1940s when the underlying tree planting ridges were clearly visible as low earthwork banks. The ridges have probably been levelled and the south-eastern corner of the former orchard is now covered with an expansion of Townhill Farm.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV354836	Aerial Photograph: BKS Surveys Ltd. 1967. BKS/2822. BKS Surveys Ltd. Photograph (Paper). BKS/2822 V 3001-3002 14-MAR-1967.
SDV354994	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3164-3165 04-NOV-1946.
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
SDV357034	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2012. LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SY0098 Environment Agency JPG DSM 19-DEC-2005.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.