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Summary

Curvilinear banks visible as earthworks on images derived from lidar data may be evidence of a hillslope enclosure of prehistoric date, on the west facing slopes south of Doddiscombsleigh. Alternatively, the earthworks may represent field boundaries of medieval origin.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• OVAL ENCLOSURE? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 700 BC (Between) to 409 AD (Between))
• FIELD BOUNDARY (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 boundaries enclosed plots named Bremridge Ball on the Tithe Apportionments for Doddiscombsleigh.

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

The earthworks correspond in part to field boundariesdepicted on the Tithe Map for Doddiscombsleigh.

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

The higher boundary is not depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25inch map and was therefore removed by circa 1880.

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

The lower boundary was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s.

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

Curvilinear banks are visible as earthworks.

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

Two curvilinear and roughly parallel banks are visible on images derived from lidar, as earthworks on the west facing slopes overlooking the Teign Valley, south of Doddiscombsleigh. The earthworks correspond in part to field boundaries of probable medieval origin depicted on the Tithe Map for Doddiscombsleigh. The boundaries enclosed curvilinear plots near the summit of the hill named Bremridge Ball on the Tithe Apportionments. This may refer to the topographical feature partly enclosed by the boundaries. The higher boundary is not depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25inch map and was therefore removed by circa 1880. The lower boundary was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s but was removed during the second half of the 20th century.
It is possible that the earthworks also comprise evidence of an oval enclosure of prehistoric date on Bremridge Ball, that was subsequently incorporated into the medieval field system, the north and east boundary of which possibly remains fossilised in the extant field pattern.

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

Possible hilltop enclosure, part fossilised in field boundary. Or could be lynchets responding to topography. ‘Bremridge Ball’ on Tithe Map.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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