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Summary

Curvilinear earthwork banks forming a square enclosure divided into quadrats by internal banks are visible on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016. The earthworks are interpreted as a former garden, possibly a walled garden, of post-medieval origin, that passed out of use prior to circa 1840.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

The enclosure has passed out of use, by this time encompassed within a wider orchard plot recorded as 'Farm House Buildings and Home Orchard' (Plot 235).

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

The wider plot is depicted as orchard.

Ordnance Survey, 1963 - 1996, National Grid OS metric (Cartographic). SDV342278.

The orchard has passed out of use.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR SY2197 Bluesky International DTM 24-APR-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

Curvilinear banks are visible as earthworks.

Cox, J. + Thorp, J. R. L., 2019, Cookshayes, Widworthy, Devon (Report - Survey). SDV364102.

The earthwork enclosure corresponds to a square orchard plot depicted on the 1780 'Plan of parish of Widworthy in Devon and of Morcocks Estate in Shute and Dalwood in Devon & Dorset belonging to James Thomas Benedictus Marwood' by J Sturge I (DHC 281M/E/4) [Page 2].

Sims, R., Knight, S. & Houghton, E., 2020-2021, East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV363914.

Two curvilinear earthwork banks circa 5m wide and at right angles to each other are visible on images derived from lidar data captured in 2016. The banks are orientated east to west and north to south. Two further circa 5m width banks are visible parallel and immediately adjacent to the north to south orientated bank. The earthworks appear to form a square enclosure circa 30m across abutting the edge of Cookshayes farmyard. The enclosure contains internal banks also circa 5m wide visible as earthworks that divide it into quadrats. The enclosure appears to have been impacted on its south-west corner by later landscaping, which alters the symmetry of its form.
The feature corresponds to a square plot depicted on a 1780 estate map, at this time containing orchard trees, and with orchard trees depicted in the plot surrounding it on three side. The Tithe Map shows the enclosure to have passed out of use, with the area now encompassed within a large singular plot recorded as 'Farm House Buildings and Home Orchard'. This large plot continues to be depicted as an orchard until the mid to late 20th century. Cookshayes is a country house and farmstead of late-16th or early 17th century origins that was remodelled in 1702 (MDV11196 and MDV129915).
The earthworks are interpreted as a former probable garden enclosure of post-medieval origin, that later became used as an orchard plot and passed out of use prior to circa 1840. The garden may have been a formal or walled garden and may have included some terraces on its east side.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8340 - East Devon AONB Lidar Assessment and Desk based Assessment

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