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Summary

The Litterburn stream, shown on John Norden's survey of 1598, is said to have formed the northern boundary of the early settlement at Crediton.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS80SW/268

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOUNDARY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Austin, H., 1857, Report on the Means of Deodorizing and Utilizing the Sewage of Towns, Page 49 (Report - non-specific). SDV363909.

The sewage derived from the imperfectly drained town of Crediton has been for many years employed for the irrigation of some neighbouring flat low-lying lands called, ‘Lords Meadows’, consisting of about 32 acres.

An offensive open sewer conveys the sewage from the town, and the only discharge from it is by means of the irrigating channels through these meadows, whence it passes into certain ditches which have their outfall into the River Creedy.

Other land also, higher up, called the ‘Palace Meadow’ and very near to some of the houses of the town, is irrigated from the same open sewer.

The irrigation goes on winter and summer, producing luxuriant growth. There is nothing particular in this case to distinguish it from the ordinary method of irrigation practiced in Devonshire, except the fact of sewage being used instead of simple water.

On some other land near Crediton, which this same open sewer traverses, pits were formerly used for intercepting the solid matter of the sewage for manure, but these being found a nuisance an action was taken by the Poor Law Guardians and the proprietor was compelled to abandon them.

Venn, T. W., 1955, An Introduction to Crediton, alias Kirton or sometimes Critton, 28 (Article in Serial). SDV58742.

The Litterburn, a stream (since laid underground) flowed from the Green into a pool, west of the church, the overspill continuing through the palace grounds to Lords Meadow and its junction with the river Creedy.

Timms, S. C., 1980, Proposed Conservation Area at Crediton (Report - non-specific). SDV354697.

Borthwick, A., 1999, Land off Mill Street, Crediton: The archaeological and historical implications of development, 4; Appendix 1 (Report - Assessment). SDV323116.

During an archaeological assessment in 1999 prior to redevelopment to the east of Mill Street, the course of the 'Litterburn' stream was identified from John Norden's survey of 1598, running east to west through the site. According to Venn this stream probably formed the northern boundary of the early settlement at Crediton. The survey also shows a house to the south of the stream. Map object based on this source.

WSP Environmental Ltd, 2005, Mill Street, Crediton: Archaeological Assessment, 1, 6, 14 (Report - Assessment). SDV338960.

Map of Crediton, 1598, shows a high level of detail. There is evidence of a watercourse potentially running across the site, raising the posibility of waterlogged remains. Such remains have already been identified to the west of the development site in the form of revetments for the watercourse.

Gent, T. H., 2007, Review of the Archaeological Evidence for the Location of the Saxon Minster at Crediton, 3, 5; Figure 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV339904.

Whiteaway, T. E., 2009, Archaeological Exacavation and Recording at Parliament Square, Crediton, Figure 3 (Report - non-specific). SDV347567.

Two separate sections of the culverted and diverted stream were revealed during archaeological investigations . An extract from an 18th century copy of Norden's 1598 map shows the course of the stream from St Lawrence's Green to Mill Street. Map object based on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4270 - Mill Street, Crediton
• EDV4348 - Assessment of a Survey Searching for the Saxon Minster in Crediton
• EDV5169 - Watching Brief at Parliament Square

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