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Summary

Curvilinear banks are visible on images derived from lidar data as earthworks on the west and south-west facing slopes to the west of Higher Darracott Farm. The banks correspond in part to field boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Great Torrington, and are probably the remains of a field system of medieval origin.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The field names recorded on the Tithe Apportionments include 273, Lower Broad Park; 222, Furze Ball; 223, Little Broad Park; 232, Broad Park; 234, Green Park).

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

The visible banks correspond in part to field boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Great Torrington.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Th medeival field pattern remained visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s.

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

Curvilinear banks up to 10m wide are visible as earthworks on the west and south-west facing slopes to the west of Higher Darracott Farm.

Hegarty, C., 2025, Comment on Unlocking Landscapes project and related lidar and aerial photograph interpretations (Interpretation). SDV366411.

Curvilinear banks up to 10m wide are visible as earthworks on images derived from lidar data, on the west and south-west facing slopes to the west of Higher Darracott Farm. The banks correspond in part to field boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map for Great Torrington. This supports the interpretation that the earthworks are the plough spread and near levelled remains of a field system possibly of medieval origin, probably associated with Darracott Farm, that had been partly cleared prior to the 1840s.
As noted by Horner, the plot names recorded on the Tithe Apportionments include several ‘Park’ and ‘Furze’ elements indicating that the field system probably represents inclosure from Priestacott Moor to the south, supported by the irregular and piecemeal character of the field pattern. This pattern remained visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s but was cleared in the second half of the 20th century.

Horner, B., 2025, Lidar interpretation (Personal Comment). SDV366415.

Pattern of small field visible on LiDAR and Tithe Map. Tithe Apportionment field names include several ‘Park’s, and Furze elements, suggesting enclosure from moor. Dog-leg track to Darracott Wood, and access track/spurs off this may suggest smallholdings, or piecemeal enclosure of moor edge.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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