More information : (SY 514897) Modbury (NR) (Site of) (NAT) (1)
The hamlet of Modbury "has been depopulated beyond the memory
of man; and seems to be the Motberge mentioned in old records".
It is situated about 1/4 mile west of Berwick House, where
ruins and foundations appear on both sides of the road to
Burton, under a cover of trees. (2)
The fields on each side of the modern E.W. road are under
grass, and exhibit an area of banks and scarps forming
platforms, which, taken in association with the situation near
a stream in the valley, suggests a site of medieval
depopulation. The main features are the boundary scarps which
average 0.6m high and 2.5m wide. There is a gentle slope from
S. to N. which accentuates the scarps on the lower or N. side.
To the N. of the road a N-S bank divides the area into two two
enclosures; a similar case exists to the S. of the road, but
this is less well defined.
Within the platforms caused by these banks and scarps the
ground has been disturbed in more recent times by earth
digging, and probably the uprooting of trees. No foundations of
structures were seen, and no occupation debris. (3)
(Centred SY 51498979) Deserted Medieval Village of Modbury
(site of) (NAT) (4)
Modbury is mentioned in the 1236 Feet of Fines and Feudal Aids
of 1412. Fagersten (5) says that the name is probably derived
from the Old English '(ge)motbeorg' meaning 'barrow of hill of
meeting'.
In 1964 a pipeline laid through the northern edge of the site
showed some 2-3ft of sterile river alluvium over-lying a layer
of dark earth from which a quantity of 13th-14th century
pottery was recovered (6). (5-6)
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