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Summary

A former trackway of probable medieval to post-medieval date is visible on images derived from lidar data as an earthwork curvilinear hollow crossing the summit and north-east facing slopes of Bickleigh Barton, Halwell and Moreleigh.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019238: Four bowl barrows at Bickleigh Brake 540m south west of Bickleigh, forming part of a linear round barrow cemetery

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TRACKWAY (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

The plots in which the earthwork is visible are described as under arable cultivation.

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

The visible earthwork does not correspond with any depicted route.

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

The visible earthwork does not correspond with any depicted route. The plots in which it is visible are partly depicted as rough ground.

Environment Agency, 2021, University of Exeter Understanding Landscapes Project - Lidar visualisation (Cartographic). SDV366001.

A curvilinear hollow is visible as an earthwork on images derived from lidar data.

Fairclough, J., 2024, Lidar and Aerial Photograph Interpretation, Halwell and Moreleigh-02-RRP7/24 (Personal Comment). SDV366410.

A distinct trackway or holloway appears as an irregular, linear, negative earthwork that runs NE-SW over the hilltop of Bickleigh Barton, and seems to respect the barrow cemetery on its eastern side. It appears to predate features the extant field boundaries and therefore predates the 1840s tithe apportionment map.

Hegarty, C., 2025, Comment on Unlocking Landscapes project lidar interpretation and associated aerial photograph interpretations (Personal Comment). SDV366411.

The curvilinear hollow is visible on images derived from lidar data as an earthwork 10m to 16m wide and circa 560m long, crossing the summit and north-east facing slopes of Bickleigh Barton. The possible route is not depicted on the Tithe Map for Halwell and is not respected by, and therefore probably predates, the depicted regular field pattern. The Tithe Apportionments describe the plots that the earthwork crosses as under arable cultivation in the mid-19th century. In contrast the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25inch map depicts most of the plots as rough ground. It is likely that the hilltop of Bickleigh Barton was enclosed at a relatively late date and the rough ground depicted on the OS First Edition map reflected its former use as open or common land, across which the relict route originally crossed. The track or hollow way is therefore of probable medieval to post-medieval origin.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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