MDE1051 - Possible late prehistoric or Roman rectangular enclosure on Rowley Down (Monument)

Cropmarks of a rectangular enclosure with rounded corners on a prominent hilltop, possibly Iron Age or Romano British in date. It measures 140 metres east to west, but the northern end has been destroyed by quarrying.

Rowley Down, Parracombe. NGR 660 433 on aerial photograph. Not yet ground checked. Square enclosure with rounded sides (possibly Iron Age or Romano British?) showing as a dark mark against a white background. Fourth side (northern) probably quarried away. [1,2] At SS 6603 4335 there are soil marks which probably indicate the ditch of a rectangular enclosure with rounded corners. [2] A map or plan of Rowley Down by Robert Ballment dated 1 March 1797 shows old field boundaries, barrows and boundary stones. None of the boundaries shown appear to correspond with this feature. [3] Grinsell lists the enclosure as a rectangular enclosure of possible Roman date, sited at SS 660 434. [4] The southern side is complete and parts of the east and west sides are visible but quarrying would appear to have destroyed the north side. The east and west sides are near parallel and are approx. 140 metres apart. SS 6603 4335. A prominent hill top situation commanding excellent visibility in all but the east. The field is under cultivation and there is no visible evidence of any antiquity. [5] A soilmark suggests a ploughed out almost rectangular prehistoric enclosure on Rowley Down. [2,6,7] As described by [5]. The feature occupies a prominent ridge end location, with ground falling away to north, south and west.The bulk of the enclosure lies within a pasture field, which at the time of investigation was covered in standing grass, which prevented detailed inspection. The northern end of the enclosure lies within a separate field, and most of this area has been quarried away. Although no surface evidence for the enclosure survives, it is possible that subsurface deposits survive between the areas of quarrying. [8] As described above, the enclosure is clearly visible on a number of aerial photographs of the area. It appears to show the location of a ditch of a rectangular enclosure with slightly rounded corners. The field appears to have been ploughed and under cultivation on aerial photographs taken in 1973; this activity may have further damaged the monument as there is no trace of the cropmark on this or later photographs. [9-11] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [12]