MMO1805 - Late 19th Century golf course on Caffyns Heanton Down (Monument)

A series of earthworks, cropmarks and structures are visible on aerial photographs from 1952 on Caffyns Heanton Down. They appear to represent the remains of a golf course constructed in 1894, which was abandoned in the 20th Century.

A series of earthworks, cropmarks and structures are visible on aerial photographs from 1952 on Caffyns Heanton Down. Centred at SS 6911 4746 the features cover an area of 21 hectares on the summit of Caffyns Heanton Down. They appear to represent the remains of a 19th Century golf course, which was abandoned in the 20th Century. Cropmarks are visible at SS 6899 4738, SS 6903 4751 and SS 6900 4757 which appear to resemble fairways or green. Two of these feature a pair of low crescent shaped banks at SS 6890 4754 and SS 6895 4736, probably bunkers or obstacles of some sort. Several other irregular shaped banks are visible between the three fairways as are several structures. At SS 6897 4723 a linear bank running southwest to northeast for 210 metres can be seen. Perpendicular to this bank at SS 6909 4720 is a similar bank, which runs southeast to northwest for 155 metres. Both banks are approximately 3 metres wide. They appear to be another type of golfing obstacle, but their exact function is not clear. Records show that a golf course was constructed in this area in 1894, and a report published in the North Devon Journal in 1895 praised the establishment of a golf links at Martinhoe. The club house is believed to be still extant, but it is not shown on modern or historic Ordnance Surrvey maps, while the course itself is not depicted on the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1905. It is not clear when the golf course was abandoned, although it was clearly not functioning in 1952. [1-4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5]