Stile And Flanking Walls 900 Metres South-West Of The Great Sluice

Stile and flanking walls located 900 metres south-west of the Great Sluice date from around 1815. They are constructed of shale rubble with vertical stone capping, sloping down on either side of the dyke. There is an opening at the top featuring a large slate laid on edge to form a stile between stone rubble piers, with the west pier showing damage at the top. A slate step is positioned below the stile. The flanking walls enclose sections of the dyke, allowing them to be grazed separately.

Braunton Marsh was likely reclaimed from the tidal waters of the River Taw during the Middle Ages. However, between 1811 and 1815, the marsh underwent more extensive drainage authorized by an Act of Parliament, driven by the Lords of the Manors of Braunton Garges, Braunton Abbotts, Braunton Arundel, and Saunton, who had grazing rights on the marshes. They aimed to enclose the marsh, which was regularly flooded by tidal waters, resulting in the reclamation of 949 acres. John Pascoe served as the surveyor, while James Green, the County Surveyor, was the engineer. The nearby Horsey Island was reclaimed between 1852 and 1857.

These late enclosures are particularly significant in Braunton, where the Great Field, located immediately north of the Marsh, is one of only three surviving open field systems in England. As of 1984, only five farmers were operating on the Great Field, with their holdings still widely dispersed as they were in the Middle Ages when there were approximately 100 farmers.