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Summary

The 'Castle' field names recorded on the Tithe Apportionment indicate possible earthworks in the vicinity. However, although these fields have a good vantage point overlooking the River Thrushel there is currently no proven evidence of a castle-like feature or distinctive earthworks.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX48NW/16

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EARTHWORK (Unknown date)

Full description

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

Fields named as Great Castle Down (30) and Little Castle Down (31) on the Thushelton Tithe Apportionment.

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

Environment Agency WMS, 1998-2016, LiDAR DTM data JPEG image (1m resolution) (Cartographic). SDV360208.

Slight earth work noted in the far south-east corner of the field. The feature has the appearance of a platform, the western and southern boundaries are less distinct perhaps cut by a later field boundary. The feature may or may not be associated with the Castle field names documented in the 1830s-40s tithe map.

Walls, S. + Wapshott, E. + Bampton, J., 2014, Land at Wreys Barton, Stowford, Devon. Results of a Desk-Based Assessment, Walkover Survey & Historic Visual Impact Assessment, 7, 14 (Report - Assessment). SDV360087.

Documentary evidence from the Tithe Map indicates possible earthworks in the vicinity. However, although these fields have a good vantage point overlooking the River Thrushel there is currently no proven evidence of a castle-like feature or distinctive earthworks.

Kaye, S., 2018, Great Castle Down and Little Castle Down, Thrushelton (Interpretation). SDV361839.

Lidar (Env. Agency 1 m, DTM) does show a rectangular, levelled area bounded on the northern and eastern sides by the possible remains of elevations, i.e. the feature has the appearance of a platform (see image below of lidar slrm over coloured slope). The western and southern sides are less distinct. Size is approx. 50 metres east-west and 55 metres north-south; the long axis is orientated NNW-SSE.

The platform is sited on an east-west trending topographic high/ridge (150 m) but not at the highest point. At the eastern end of the topo high/ridge is a depression which might be an old quarry.

The site of the platform now has a water tank on it and it is possible that the platform is related to this.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7219 - Desk-Based Assessment, Walkover Survey and Historic Visual Impact Assessment on Land at Wreys Barton, Stowford,

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