MMO1849 - Medieval field system north of Lucott Farm (Monument)

A large area of ridge and furrow and associated field boundaries are visible on infra red aerial photographs taken in 1995 as a series of earthwork. The S-shaped boundaries and ridge and furrow suggest a medieval date for the field system.

A large area of ridge and furrow and associated field boundaries are visible on infra red aerial photographs taken for Exmoor National Park Authority in 1995 as a series of earthworks in fields around Lucott Farm, Luccombe. Centred at approximately SS 8661 4519, four distinct areas of ridge and furrow are visible. The first, at SS 8641 4508 runs approximately north to south, curving in an S shape to the west. A similar pattern is visible at SS 8673 4522. At SS 8664 4511 the rig is straighter, and aligned north to south, while at SS 8685 4515 the rig runs north to south, curving in an S shape to the east. The distance between the rig in all areas measures approximate 3.5 to 4 metres, and in total the ridge and furrow covers an area of 14.5 hectares. At SS 8649 4517 and SS 8689 4534, two curvilinear field boundaries are visible as low banks. They follow a similar alignment to the S shaped ridge and furrow, running approximately north to south and curving to the west. The westernmost boundary measures 170 metres long, while the easternmost measures 115 metres long. These S shaped boundaries and ridge and furrow appear to form a system of curvilinear strip fields, which would suggest a medieval date for the field system, and therefore indicate a medieval phase of settlement at Lucott Farm. The boundaries are not depicted on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, suggesting they had been abandoned prior to publication; however, Lucott Farm is shown as a much larger settlement than it is today, and it is possible that the extensive field system represents a more intensive period of agriculture in this area. [1-3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]