MMO2302 - Medieval field system west of Church Farm (Monument)

Field boundaries enclosing ridge and furrow cultivation of possible medieval date can be seen on aerial photographs as almost completely levelled earthworks. The earthworks are cut by a later catch-water system water meadow.

A bank defined field system enclosing evidence for possible strip fields or ridge and furrow cultivation of possible medieval date can be seen on aerial photographs to the west of Church Farm, Stoke Pero, at circa SS 8774 4345. Almost completely levelled earthworks banks defined the boundaries for four or five fields, but low ridge and furrow or strip fields can be seen only within two, circa 0.3 of 0.5 hectares in area, immediately to the west of Church Farm at circa SS 8775 4340 and SS 8773 4342. The southwestern boundary is defined by a gulley up to 10 metres wide that may be evidence for an eroded former boundary bank, small sections of may be extant to the top and bottom of the hill. The earthwork field boundaries and possible strip fields are cut by a catch-water water meadow system of probable post-medieval date. [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] The Tithe Map for Stoke Pero depicts four fields within this area, all within the Stoke Church Tenement, as below: 134: Shut Meadow (Meadow) - SS 8778 4352; 161: Croft (Arable) - SS 8766 4347; 162: Calves Close (Meadow) - SS 8773 4341; 163: Middle Mead (Meadow) - SS 8776 4347. [5] The area of land had been amalgamated into one large field by the time the 25 inch 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was surveyed. It was still bounded by a field boundary to the south at this time. A small land parcel had been introduced at SS 8779 4348. [6] The 2022 MasterMap data shows that the southernmost field boundary appears to have been removed. The small land parcel at SS 8779 4348 is still shown. [7]