See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

A series of linear and curvilinear banks interpreted as a relict prehistoric or Romano-British field system, with possible evidence of associated settlement, is visible on aerial photographs taken from 1965 onwards and digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017, on a limestone plateau to the southeast of Tornewton, Denbury and Torbryan parish.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric field system on Tornewton Hill

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 446363
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86NW/53

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIELD SYSTEM (Early Iron Age to Roman - 700 BC to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

GALLANT + LUXTON + COLLMAN, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV288111.

This is only site apart from dainton bridge with a rectangular feature too small to be a field. This feature is almost square, measuring 23 x 23 + m and is subdivided by internal banks into one long and two short sections of equal width. The banks surrounding this feature are higher, at c 0.5m than the other banks on the site, which are c 0.3m; they are narrower. The internal crossbanks of the feature are lower and narrow (2.2-3m), and its undiscovered entrance may be under scrub. Very dry conditions in 1984 showed possible further banks in this field. Three sherds possibly of the 1st millennium bc were found on the site among redeposited material (gallant + luxton + collman).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV302605.

Aph=7506 1 305/swwa woodland reservoir/18 march 1975.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV302606.

Des=timms, s. C. /as above.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV302607.

Des=gallant, l. /list of field systems/(15/11/1980)in ipplepen parish file.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV302608.

Gallant, l. + luxton, n. + collman, m. /pdas/43(1985)25/ancient fields on the south devon limstone plateau/fig 3.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV302609.

Aph-dap/hi 11,12,15/(31/12/1986).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV302610.

Aph=dap/hs 15/(23/12/1986).

TIMMS ET AL, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV318031.

Vis=-/12/1980 (timms et al) visible on ground. Probably directly related to sx86nw/52 and sx86nw/13.

GALLANT, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV943.

Field system on tornewton hill. Visible on ap in 1975. One of a group of thirteen possible prehistoric field systems which have been identified on the limestone in s devon. Approx.6.5 hectares in extent (gallant).

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

The earthworks do not correspond with any linear features in this location which is shown as unenclosed land.

Royal Air Force, 1965, RAF/58/7109, RAF/58/7109 F42 072-73 22-NOV-1965 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351186.

A series of linear and curvilinear banks is visible.

Pye, A. R. + Noble, S. + Turton, S. D., 1992, Archaeological Survey and Assessment at Greenawell Park Farm, West Ogwell, 19-21 (Report - Survey). SDV344412.

Other details: Figure 1, site4; Plate 9.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX8167 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

A series of linear and curvilinear banks is visible.

Ordnance Survey, 2018, MasterMap 2018 (Cartographic). SDV360652.

The earthworks are partly shown on this map.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M) (Interpretation). SDV361305.

A series of linear and curvilinear earthwork banks, circa 4m in width, is visible on aerial photographs taken from 1965 onwards and on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017, on a limestone plateau of approximately 5 hectares to the southeast of Tornewton, Denbury and Torbryan parish. The linear earthworks are typically northeast to southwest and northwest to southeast aligned and partly define a number of rectilinear shaped enclosures of varying size. The earthworks do not correspond with any linear features shown in this location on the mid-19th century Parish Tithe Map which is shown as unenclosed land, nor are they in keeping with the layout of the surrounding historic field patterns characterised as medieval enclosures based on strip fields. The earthwork banks are therefore interpreted as field boundaries of a possible prehistoric or Romano-British field system. Located amongst these field boundaries are a number of curvilinear shaped banks interpreted as evidence of possible settlement and several small oval shaped mounds interpreted as possible clearance cairns, recorded as a separate monument (MDV122743). The earthworks of this field system and associated features are partly shown on the 2018 Ordnance Survey MasterMap.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019, South Devon Coast to Dartmoor AI&M Survey, Area 1 Site Visit, 03-MAY-2019 (Site Visit). SDV363000.

Earthworks of slight banks corresponding to the NMP/AI&M transcriptions were visible along the western edge of the land parcel which was under pasture.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV288111	Migrated Record: GALLANT + LUXTON + COLLMAN.
SDV302605	Aerial Photograph:
SDV302606	Migrated Record:
SDV302607	Migrated Record:
SDV302608	Migrated Record:
SDV302609	Migrated Record:
SDV302610	Aerial Photograph:
SDV318031	Report - Survey: TIMMS ET AL.
SDV344412	Report - Survey: Pye, A. R. + Noble, S. + Turton, S. D.. 1992. Archaeological Survey and Assessment at Greenawell Park Farm, West Ogwell. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report. 92.26. A4 Stapled + Digital. 19-21.
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
SDV351186	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1965. RAF/58/7109. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/7109 F42 072-73 22-NOV-1965.
SDV360652	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2018. MasterMap 2018. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #81026 ]
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV361470	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX8167 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017.
SDV363000	Site Visit: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2019. South Devon Coast to Dartmoor AI&M Survey, Area 1 Site Visit. AC Archaeology. Photograph (Digital). 03-MAY-2019.
	Linked images:11
SDV943	Migrated Record: GALLANT.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey (Ref: ACD1748)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.