MMO2782 - Medieval or post-medieval field system northwest of Kedworthy Farm (Monument)

The earthwork remains of field boundaries, enclosures and a possible lynchet are visible on aerial photographs. The features are likely medieval or early post-medieval and may possibly represent the original focal point of Kedworthy Farm.

Lengths of disused field boundary banks northwest of Kedworthy were noted on aerial photographs. [1-3] The earthwork remains of field boundaries, enclosures and a possible lynchet are visible on aerial photographs in fields northwest of Kedworthy Farm, Brayford. Centred at approximately SS 7056 3720, the majority of the banks appear to connect with extant boundaries, indicating they were probably laid out at the same time, but abandoned at a later date, perhaps to create a larger field. At SS 7056 3714, a small sqaure enclosure can be seen, measuring approximately 20 metres by 20 metres. This may be the remains of a building or yard, or possibly a stock pen or similar. The lynchet lies at approximately SS 7049 3708, and measures over 100 metres long and up to 8 metres wide, although it may have been spread by ploughing. It is not clear from the photograph whether the lynchet was constructed deliberately, or whether it was formed by natural soil slippage down the steep west facing slope. The features are likely to date to the medieval or early post medieval period, and may possibly represent the original focal point of Kedworthy Farm, which was constructed in the 17th Century. They are not depicted on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, suggesting they were abandoned prior to publication in 1890. [4-6] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [7]