Site Event/Activity record ECH4790 - Castletown Site Visit

The new drive/track was probably part of the agreed scheme of works from 2005. There is a good deal of new tree planting within the northern area of the scheduled monument. There is also a problem with the extended drive and the area at the end of it which appears to be new disturbance/dumping. Electric fencing has divided the northern part of monument into a series of horse paddocks. The electric fencing is not issue but the upright posts do require scheduled monument consent. It is a reasonable use of the land but I am concerned that they may be a moveable feature which has implications for the longer term. Other concerns are that the ground is pretty soft over the whole area and is getting quite cut up by the horses with poaching at feeding points and around the pond. Tractor tracks are becoming clear across the ridge and furrow in the northern area - it won't be long before the earthworks break down on such soft land. It all seems more intensively used than previously. Within the southern area of the scheduled monument there are some minor problems. At the north eastern end of the field is used for grazing two Shetland ponies. The paddock is delineated by using electric fencing, but with no wooden posts. A new looking shed, possibly just sitting on the ground surface, has been put on the boundary with the adjacent farm. The ground condition looks better than the area of completely bare ground shown in the 2010 aerial photographs, though it is still very closely grazed. There are some tractor tracks along the boundary with Oak House/Farm but these are not too bad. There are tofts visible in the western end end this field near to the existing lane. There is a field with pronounced ridge and furrow outside the scheduled area. This is immediately adjacent (NE) to the southern part of the scheduled monument. The ridge and furrow runs straight through the field boundary. There was a pond surrounded by trees next to the boundary with the farmyard, but it has been filled in and the trees removed. The ridge and furrow extends across the rest of field. Though not scheduled, we would advise this ridge and furrow be protected. CWAC could request extension of scheduling or protect as undesignated but important archaeology.