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Summary

Remains of medieval farmstead, boundary work and enclosures. The 1777 Courtney Estate survey and the 1886 OS map both depict the farmstead, the mound and boundaries south of the warren wall. An 1819 source refers to 'On Boltberry, just within the Warren Gate, a ....shepherd's cot and adjoining pinfold'. The 1777 Courtney Estate survey also depicts a building and yard immediately to the north of the Warren Wall with the yard, or pinfold, abutting a kink in the wall; there is no trace of either of these features on the 1886 OS 1st edition 25" map or the available air photographs. This area was mapped from aerial photographs and lidar as part of an EH survey. The features described in this record, south of the wall, are in a scheduled area which includes a field system and a large mound which situated immediately east of the farmstead.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020575: Medieval farmstead, boundary work and earthwork enclosures 350m south east of Middle Soar
• SHINE: Earthworks, structures, cropmarks and artefact scatters of prehistoric field system, remains of prehistoric barrow, medieval farmsteads and rabbit warren, 18th-19th century watch towers and World War Two RAF Bolt Head Airfield, at East Soar, Malborough

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1369319
• National Trust SMR: 100,548
• National Trust SMR: 100,549
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX73NW/35/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 34885
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOUNDARY BANK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))
• BOUNDARY BANK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))
• ENCLOSURE (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• LONGHOUSE (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• POUND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Collings, A. G., 1983, Bolt Head Medieval Village (Worksheet). SDV343419.

Site visit December 1983. Two jambstones remain of a problematical structure just south of the Warren boundary wall . Conceivably the 'very large building' mentioned in response to Dean Milles, but the presence of demolished World War II brickwork makes it impossible to reach any conclusion. Possibly remains of one of buildings associated with alleged deserted medieval village near Bolt Head.

Thackray, C., 1990, Archaeological Survey of the Salcombe Estuary: West (Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point) Devon, 21-22 (Report - Survey). SDV345519.

These are the earthwork foundations of a rectangular building noted by A. Hawkins (Kingsbridge and Salcombe, 1819, p.207) as a 'shepherd's hut and pinfold'. The remains measure approximately 18 metres long by 7 metres wide. There is a small annexe on the east side which is 5 metres wide by 11 metres long, and is open at the north end. This is defined by stone banks up to 2 metres wide and 0.5 metres high. At the north end of the main building are three orthostat stones, possibly part of a porch or doorway. Rubble from a ruined brick building, possibly military in origin, lies within.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2002, Medieval Farmstead, Boundary Work and Earthwork Enclosures 350 Metres South-east of Middle Soar (Schedule Document). SDV343429.

The remains of a medieval farmstead with an adjoining animal pound, a boundary work and parts of three adjoining earthwork enclosures on coastal heathland overlooking a shallow valley. At the west end of the monument is the medieval farmstead, comprising earthworks of a longhouse aligned north to south, with a doorway in the east side, where there is an annexe running parallel to the longhouse. To the north of the longhouse there is an animal pound, trapezoidal in plan with a stone faced bank on its west side. A stone pier abuts the inner face of the bank.

Winton, H. + Bowden, M., 2009, East Soar, Devon: Air Photo Assessment and Survey (Report - Survey). SDV351406.

The features referred to above are included in a scheduled area which also covers parts of a field system (NMR Monument 444335) and a large mound (NMR Monument 444317) which situated immediately east of the farmstead. A 1777 survey and the 1886 OS map both depict the farmstead, the mound and boundaries south of the wall which are described by the scheduling. An 1819 source says that the mound is 'On Boltberry, just within the Warren Gate, a few yards South of a shepherd's cot and adjoining pinfold'.
The 1777 Courtney Estate survey depicts a building and yard immediately to the north of the Warren Wall with the yard, or pinfold, abutting a kink in the wall; there is no trace of either of these features on the 1886 OS 1st edition 25" map or the available air photographs.
This area was mapped from air photographs including those from the National Monuments Record (NMR), the Cambridge University Collection of Air Photos (CUCAP), Devon Historic Environment Record (HER), and lidar images from the Environment Agency. Additional sources included information from the NMR and Devon HER and the 1777 Courtney Estate Survey.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

All East Soar Air Photo Assessment and Survey (SDV351406) details were accessioned to the Devon HER as part of the South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV343419	Worksheet: Collings, A. G.. 1983. Bolt Head Medieval Village. Devon County Sites and Monuments Register. Worksheet.
SDV343429	Schedule Document: Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2002. Medieval Farmstead, Boundary Work and Earthwork Enclosures 350 Metres South-east of Middle Soar. The Schedule of Monuments. A4 Stapled.
SDV345519	Report - Survey: Thackray, C.. 1990. Archaeological Survey of the Salcombe Estuary: West (Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point) Devon. National Trust Archaeological Survey Report. A4 Comb Bound + Digital. 21-22.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351406	Report - Survey: Winton, H. + Bowden, M.. 2009. East Soar, Devon: Air Photo Assessment and Survey. English Heritage. 50-2009. Digital + A4.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4935 - Archaeological Survey from Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point
• EDV6587 - Archaeological Assessment of Land between Bolt Heat and Bolt Tail

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