MDE11732 - Post-medieval building platform west of Lower Town Farm (Monument)

Summary

An earthwork platform is possibly the site of a house or barn. No building is shown on the Ordnance Survey 25 inch map of 1888.

Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record .

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

SS 7451 4963. Large platform, suggesting a toft, identified by McDonnell on aerial photographs west of Lower Town Farm Countisbury. [1,2] SS 7450 4964. The remains of a rectangular platform, about 14 metres east to west by 4 metres and 0.7 metres high, set into a south facing slope in a pasture field. An old field wall runs off northwards uphill from its east side. As suggested it is probably the stance for a house or barn. It may be associated with the field system (MDE8687) to the northeast. The area is shown on the 1888 Ordnance Survey plan as being rough grass and gorse but no building is depicted so it had probably gone out of use by then. [3,4] A large rectangular building platform is visible on aerial photographs as low earthworks to the northwest of Countisbury village at circa SS 7447 4966. Set into a south facing slope of a ridge, just below the apex, the setting of the earthworks would not be unusual for a bank barn. However, at 30 metres in length and 13 metres wide, the building platform is large enough to suggest a larger range of buildings. The platform is within the area of rough ground described by the above authority, still visible as an area of rough vegetation on aerial photographs of 1995. This area of circa 1800 square metres may mark the limits of a farmstead associated with the building platform and the relict field system to the north. [5-7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]

Sources/Archives (8)

  • <1> Unpublished document: McDonnell, R.. 1980. Gazetteer of Sites in the Exmoor National Park Identified through Aerial Photography. SS7449c.
  • <2> Aerial photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 -1948. Vertical Aerial Photography. RAF CPE/UK/1980 2609 (11 April 1947).
  • <3> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1868-1901. County Series; 1st Edition 25 Inch Map. 1:2500. 1888, Devon 3(10).
  • <4> Unpublished document: Sainsbury, I.S.S. Field Investigators Comments. RCHME Field Investigation, 18 April 1994.
  • <5> Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photograph. NMR OS/95026 052-3 (12 March 1995).
  • <6> Aerial photograph: Meridian Air Maps. 1977-1978. Infrared False Colour Aerial Photography. 2609 (June 1978).
  • <7> Archive: 2007-2009. Exmoor National Park NMP: SS 74 NW. MD002173.
  • <8> Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 926302, Extant 15 December 2021.

External Links (2)

Other Statuses/References

  • Devon SMR (Devonshire): SS74NW/77
  • Devon SMR Monument ID: 18103
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MDE20752
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MMO352
  • Local List Status (Unassessed)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 74 NW70
  • National Park: Exmoor National Trust
  • National Trust HER Record: MNA108047
  • NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 926302

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 7448 4964 (61m by 60m)
Map sheet SS74NW
Civil Parish COUNTISBURY, NORTH DEVON, DEVON

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Dec 15 2021 2:23PM

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