MMO2636 - Medieval or post-medieval trackways around Shallowford (Monument)

A number of shallow ditches visible as earthworks around Shallow Ford bear a strong resemblance to the medieval or post medieval packhorse road or trackway which skirts the boundary of the former Royal Forest of Exmoor.

A number of shallow ditches visible as earthworks around Shallow Ford, Lynton and Lynmouth bear a strong resemblance to the medieval or post-medieval packhorse road or trackway which skirts the boundary of the former Royal Forest of Exmoor. Centred at approximately SS 7152 4497, numerous criss-crossing ditches are visible, leading in various directions but predominately east-west. One of the tracks leads towards the route of the packhorse road, while others lead towards Shallowford, and perhaps connect with the ditches visible southwest of the settlement (see MMO2635). The various trackways all converge at a point on the stream which lies east of Shallowford; presumably a crossing of some kind existed here, perhaps the original "shallow ford." There is not track or routeway at this location depicted on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map, suggesting it was abandoned prior to publication in 1889. Burton (1989) identifies a trackway at Shallowford which he describes as an "ancient routeway" which later became a well used packhorse road, crossing from Lynton to Mole Chamber. It is possible that the junction of trackways visible here connected this "ancient routeway" and the packhorse road which follows the boundaries of the former Royal Forest (see MMO495). [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] SS 7149 4492. The area of hollow ways at Shallowford was noted during field survey following a wildfire in 2022. They were measured as up to 1.4 metres deep and 4 metres wide. [6]