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The Pebblebed Heaths were not covered by the ice sheet during the last ice age so were in an area which was probably occupied by a tundra landscape. As the climate warmed and the ice edge retreated, this Arctic tundra was followed by forest. The forest was gradually cleared by iron age man, who left a wealth of archaeological remains. There are a total of 341 known archaeological sites or historic features on, or adjoining the Pebblebed Heaths, and undoubtedly more await discovery. The most important and visible site is the Iron Age hill fort at Woodbury Castle, but there are a number of other scheduled ancient monuments including prehistoric barrows on Woodbury, Colaton Raleigh and Aylesbeare Commons (1), and cairns, enclosures and possible prehistoric hearths as well as worked flints over a wide area. Extensive archaeological research was carried out by George Carter during the 1920s-1960s. A partial excavation of Woodbury Castle was undertaken in 1971 as part of a rescue dig due to road widening. A geophysical survey of the Castle has just been carried out (2009) by Natural England, English Heritage and Devon Archaeology on behalf of the East Devon Pebblebed Heath which has led to the repair of long term scarring. A separate four year programme of excavations and investigation of the barrows and the historic man made arrangements of pebbles on the commons is currently (2009) underway, led by Dr. Chris Tilley of University College, London.

Roads of Roman origin run through the area and many parish boundaries date from the late Saxon period. The area was included in the Domesday Book, and many local names of parishes, farms and commons date from the ninth, tenth and eleventh century. Many parish and farm boundary banks date from this time together with a number of hollow ways and field systems. Other features dating from various periods include quarries, boundary banks, ridge and furrow and artificial landscape features including planted mounds (Exeter Archaeology 2003)(2).

Saxon farmers would have grazed ‘Woodbury Down’, which was probably much grassier than today as the peat had dried out and the warm, dry climate was unsuitable for heather growth. 

The Domesday Book mentions grazing of 60 sheep on Woodbury Common in 1086 and from this time the Norman Lords of the Manor allowed rights of grazing, the taking of bracken for bedding, the cutting of certain smaller trees for fuel and peat or turf cutting (turbary) for fuel and these became established as commons rights attached to properties around the Commons.  Turbary rights extended to all parishioners, whether or not they lived in a cottage with commons rights.

In the 13th and 14th centuries the Lord of the Manor retained the right to cultivate part of the pasture common ‘He and his heirs can till and enclose 10 acres of land whether by spade or by team’.  The enclosure was removed once the corn crop was taken and the land returned to pasture.  The disturbance probably would have resulted in gorse, which the Lord of the Manor reserved the right to cut for fuel and fodder.

After about 1300 A.D. the climate changed again becoming wetter and cooler, with colder winters.

By the early 16th century on Woodbury Common each commoner was limited to a fixed number of beasts and some had no grazing rights at all.  There could have been as many as 4 sheep and 1 ‘animal’ (cattle) per acre of rough grazing all year round. These animals would have been continually shepherded resulting in regularly disturbed, sparse vegetation.

After the demise of the manorial system the commons rights were often abused with over-grazing and the poor of Woodbury removing all combustible material including the vegetation and topsoil itself.  ‘Considerable injury has been done….by the paring off and carrying away the surface for fuel’. (Vancouver 1969) (3). Additionally, the surface vegetation was scraped off and burned and the resulting ‘beat-ashes’ used for fertilizing arable crops, particularly turnips.

Although furze is obviously heathland vegetation, in 1840 it was being grown as a crop in enclosed fields, which were leased to farmers.  In 1808 furze fields (European gorse) were rented for 15-20 shillings annually per acre. They were generally cut at four years growth and their cane stems often burnt for charcoal. Dwarf gorse was not valued at more than 6-8 shillings annually per acre and was generally cut and grubbed by the farmers and peasants for fuel (Vancouver 1969).

Vancouver (1969)(3) also reported that in 1808  “Upon the wastes of Woodbury, and other commons connected with it, Lord Rolle has been much in the practise of encouraging the peasantry to build and make small improvements: the inducing of the labourers thus to leave the village, and settle upon the borders of the commons, must be considered by far the most likely means of promoting the comfort, and improving the morals of these people.  The quantity of land first permitted to be enclosed is about an acre.  This improvement conducted to his Lordships’ satisfaction, a further enclosure is suffered to be made, to the extent of 3, 4 or 5 acres, and which, in some cases, have led to the cottagers obtaining a long lease of his improvements at a very moderate rent, and with the further privilege of enclosing more of the waste, when his strength and ability will enable him to render it equal justice with that he may have already improved.  In thus withdrawing the cottager from his former haunts in the village, the time that would otherwise be spent at the ale-house, or in frivolous conversation with his neighbours, is now employed to the immediate benefit of himself and family, and ultimately to the increase of national stock”.  It is possible that some areas of Stoneyford, Hawkerland and at the base of the scarp slope towards Woodbury were enclosed at this time, as indicated by the straight hedgerows.

The wealthy Rolle family had settled in Devon in 1519 and gradually purchased, or married into land until by 1883 the family had become the largest landowners in the county, with 55,592 acres, including all the commons of the Pebblebed Heaths.  Lady Louisa Rolle ‘landscaped’ the Pebblebed Heaths by planting pines on tumuli and in small plantations along parish boundaries and possibly also constructed some fake tumuli mounds at Four Firs, probably in the early 1800s.

Mark Trefusis, the great-nephew of Lady Louisa Rolle inherited in 1842, and at her wish, changed his name to Hon. Mark Rolle.  On his death in 1907 the estate passed to his nephew, Charles, the 21st Baron Clinton.

By the time of the Tithe Maps 1839-1846 no legitimate commons rights were being exercised on any of the Pebblebed Heaths.  However, grazing did continue at least until the Second World War, possibly on a tenant basis. 

Military use of the Pebblebed Heaths has been well established with training of local militia under General Simcoe in Napoleonic times, followed by training during the First World War by the Royal Devon Yeomanry and other regiments.  During the Second World War a large Royal Marine Infantry Training Centre was established on East Budleigh Common with over 5,000 personnel and nearly 500 Nissen huts.  American forces also used an area on Hawkerland Common.   There was a decoy airfield on Bicton Common and further decoy lights on Aylesbeare Common (Brighouse 1981; Cooper 2007)(4).

Military activity from the Napoleonic wars left behind pebble mounds, pits, trenches and hearths. Later occupation on parts of Budleigh and Bicton Commons during WWII by British and American military forces is evidenced by the remains of buildings, infrastructure, excavations and smaller features such as pits and trenches (still being created by the present day Royal Marine Commandos) (Exeter Archaeology 2003)(2).

Extracted with permission from:

The Pebblebed Heaths. An options appraisal. Unpublished report to The Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust, Footprint Ecology. Wareham. L.Kerry in © Underhill-Day, J. C. (2009).

References and notes:

1. Letter dated 25th November 1998 from English Heritage
2. See also report by Devon County Council as part of the Historic Environment Record under the  consultation for the Farm Environment Plan needed for a Higher level Stewardship application. This report expands on previous work and records 168 historic features on the Pebblebed Heaths.
3. Vancouver, C. (1808). General view of the agriculture of the county of Devon. David and Charles Reprints. 1969.
4. Brighouse, U. (1981). Woodbury. A View from the Beacon. A ‘Woodbury News’ Publication.
5. Cooper, A. (2007). East Devon Pebblebed Heaths-two hundred years in the making. Budleigh Salterton. Devon., East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust.

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