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A bond stone on Braunton Great Field

This is a bond stone, many of which were used to mark the end of landsherds, or divisions between strips of land, on the Great Field.  Many have been buried by continual flattening by modern tractors and it is rare to see one these days.

Reference:..(UID:10589)

Supplied by: Braunton

Braunton Great Field

This image really highlights to patchwork of fields that make up Braunton Great Field.  Seen from the air, you can perfectly make out its close proximity to the village and the number of strips it encompasses.  The Field originated in medieval times, when most villagers held a strip of land here.  They used it to grow vegetables for their own consumption as well to produce cereals for their animals to eat in winter.

Reference:..(UID:10590)

Supplied by: Braunton

Braunton Great Field 2006

This modern picture (taken in 2006) shows Braunton Great Field at its best.  It changes throughout the seasons and is a lovely place to wander at any time of year, but is especially  good at harvest time, when the colours are at their most vibrant and when skylarks can be heard singing gaily overhead.

Reference:..(UID:10591)

Supplied by: Braunton

Braunton Great Field 2007

A typical scene from Braunton Great Field.  A great variety of crops have traditionally been grown on the Field, which is renowned for its fertility.  These days the crops are generally wheat, potatoes and cauliflowers but in times past the variety included red clover, wheat, rye, peas, beans, potatoes, swedes, turnips and vetches.

Reference:..(UID:10592)

Supplied by: Braunton

Braunton Great Field 2007

The vast expanse of Braunton Great Field covers an area equal to more than 200 football pitches!  It is an awe-inspriring sight, especially when you imagine the many villagers and teams of horses that used to work here every day.  Traditionally the Field has been split into hundreds of strips but in recent years adjacent strips have been purchased by the same owner and amalgamated, making large plots in some cases.  Thankfully some farmers remain loyal to ancient methods and have preserved some of the strips.

Reference:..(UID:10593)

Supplied by: Braunton

Braunton Great Field 2007

This is an excellent illustration of the strips on Braunton Great Field.  They are separated by what is known as a landsherd, where the plough shears have been turned in to form a bank.  It is of course difficult to maintain these strips with modern machinery, which often requires a large turning circle.  There would have been many such Fields and strips in Britain in medieval times, but most have since disappeared.

Reference:..(UID:10594)

Supplied by: Braunton

Image tn_Braunton Great Field 2007 c.JPG

Braunton Great Field, 1947

This birds-eye view shows Braunton Great Field in 1947.  Some of the strips have since been lost, so this is a useful historical illustration.  The path that runs from the village at the top of the picture in a south-westerly direction is known as Broadpath.  It connects to a single-track lane which acts as a boundary between the Great Field and Braunton Marshes.

Reference:..(UID:10595)

Supplied by: Braunton

Hartnolls rick in Barn Close, 1909

This wonderfully atmospheric image shows members of the Hartnoll family with their rick in Barn Close.  Harvest-time was a communal affair, with each farm helping the others to get their harvests in.  Farmers were unable to go to Barnstaple Fair in September unless their harvest was complete.

Reference:..(UID:10596)

Supplied by: Braunton

Image tn_Hartnolls rick in Barn Close 1909.JPG

In the Harvest Field

This romantic image is titled â??In the Harvest Fieldâ?? and documents a long-lost era.  Although it looks wonderful, the work would have been hard and the hours would have been long, too long for some of todayâ??s youth to comprehend!

Reference:..(UID:10598)

Supplied by: Braunton

Reg Ashton at work on the Great Field 2008

Reg Ashton represents his family on the Great Field, who have been farming there for generations.  He says heâ??s very happy with his lot and if he had his life over again, he wouldnâ??t change it.  His tractor may be old but it does the job, much like Reg himself!  Reg is a regular feature of the Great Field and can tell a great many fascinating stories about its history.

Reference:..(UID:10599)

Supplied by: Braunton