Summary

A bivallate enclosure 285m south east of Matford House.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 17 November 2015. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a bivallate enclosure situated on a natural terrace on a north facing spur above the Exe Valley. The enclosure survives as entirely buried features and is visible on aerial photographs as a double ditched rectangular enclosure measuring approximately 100m long by 60m wide in total with an entrance on the eastern side. There are also a line of intermittent pits which cross the monument which are generally interpreted as natural features. The enclosure is though to date to the late prehistoric or Romano-British periods.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The precise nature and date of this bivallate enclosure is unknown, but it would appear to be a defended small scale settlement given its shape and the nature of the apparent fortifications. Such enclosures are unusual preservations close to major urban centres and in areas of rich agricultural land, because they have been consistently used through time as a much valued resource. The enclosure indicates the past importance which was attached to such a resource, hence its likely defensive nature. It helps to explain social and strategic pressures and will also contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, use, date, and the nature of the settlement as either an agricultural or military consequence of existing land use pressure or political and social manoeuvrings.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:-447924

Source: Historic England