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Summary

The remains of ridges made for tree planting and improved drainage probably of post-medieval to mid-19th century date were visible as low parallel earthwork banks on aerial photographs of 1946 to the east of Fordmore Farm, Plymtree parish.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ORCHARD (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1840 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The plot was not depicted as an orchard.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4298-4299 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354994.

Linear banks were visible as very slight earthworks.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

The remains of parallel ridges circa 5 metres apart were visible as very subtle earthwork banks over an area of circa 0.1 ha on aerial photographs of 1946.
The visible banks did not correspond with any orchard depicted on the 19th century maps available to the survey.
The visible earthworks are therefore interpreted as the remains of banks made for fruit tree planting and improved orchard drainage, dating possibly from the post-medieval period or the 19th century that passed out of use prior to the mid-19th century.
The banks have probably been levelled by the eastwards expansion of agricultural buildings from Fordmore Farm.

Ordnance Survey, 2017, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359962.

The farmstead of Fordmore Farm has expanded onto the site of the former orchard.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV354994	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RS 4298-4299 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #77702 ]
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359962	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2017. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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