OS One-Inch Old Series / First Edition Map Viewer (Sheet 27)

Ordnance Survey One-Inch First Edition Old Map of Devon, Somerset: Old Series map of OS Old Series Map Sheet 27 (Bristol Channel / North Devon coast inferred).

Please note that the modern reference map on the split screen is intended as a guide only.

Old Series Map Index

 

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Landscape and Archaeological Assessment

Landscape Classification

This sheet represents a coastal bay and upland fringe landscape, characterised by Bristol Channel, Barnstaple/Morte bays, estuary margins and Exmoor western high ground.

Archaeological Landscape

The primary archaeological theme is North Devon coastal bay, estuary and promontory route landscape. Enhanced prediction from Roman-road, ridgeway, hillfort/enclosure, villa/estate, road-convergence and river-crossing logic.

High Visibility Locations

Barnstaple Bay Estuary Fringe

Terrain Archaeology

The terrain is interpreted using hachures. Relief is represented by hachures, allowing inference of ridgeways, high points, spur ends, valley approaches and likely route/crossing logic.

Main Geographic Information

Main Landscape Features

Sheet 27 shows a mixed area of coastal bay and upland fringe Bristol Channel, Barnstaple/Morte bays, estuary margins and Exmoor western high ground . The map is useful for studying early 19th Century historic settlement patterns, Roman road alignments, early archaeological site indentification, how roads, old tracks, lanes and paths, villages, waterways and field systems related to the wider nineteenth-century landscape.

Main Geographic Features

Archaeological Predictions

Archaeological Hotspots

Barnstaple Bay Estuary Fringe is interpreted as a coastal/estuary settlement and wetland-edge zone landscape. Morte/Ilfracombe Promontory Belt is interpreted as a cliff-top enclosure and maritime lookout landscape landscape. Exmoor Western High Route is interpreted as a upland ridge and beacon/enclosure landscape landscape.

Historic Routes, Crossings and Connections

Barnstaple Bay coastal route is interpreted as a coastal/estuary route corridor. Historic crossing points where roads, trackways or routeways converge on significant water features are widely recognised as archaeological hotspots. Crossing points often acted as gateways within the historic landscape. Because movement was channelled through these locations, archaeological evidence may occur both at the crossing itself and along the routes leading towards it, forming broader zones of archaeological potential rather than isolated sites.Exmoor-west coastal high route is interpreted as a upland/coastal ridge route. Historic crossing points where roads, trackways or routeways converge on significant water features are widely recognised as archaeological hotspots. Crossing points often acted as gateways within the historic landscape. Because movement was channelled through these locations, archaeological evidence may occur both at the crossing itself and along the routes leading towards it, forming broader zones of archaeological potential rather than isolated sites.

Historic Gateways and Crossing Places

Barnstaple Bay estuary crossing/access is a estuary access/crossing. Braunton wetland-edge crossing is a wetland-edge crossing.

Main Places