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Summary

A probable former quarry pit of possible medieval to 19th century date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as an earthwork and cropmark on the north-west facing slopes south-east of Cheney’s Farm, Honiton parish. Field name evidence from the Tithe Apportionment might support the interpretation as a gravel pit.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10SE/267

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• GRAVEL PIT (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Foster, K. + Skinner, R., 01/2016, A30 to A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon (Report - Assessment). SDV359378.

DBA undertaken along a corridor associated with the A30/A303 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn. This study is intended to inform the development of options for improvements to the A30/A303 between Honiton and Devonshire Inn.

The Head deposit present on the slopes that characterise much of the Site contains local deposits of sand, gravel, marl and clay. During the post-medieval and modern periods these deposits were extracted and pits, some of which are very deep, are located across much of the Site. Likewise the river valley bottom contains alluvial deposits of gravel that were also targets for extraction. The location of these pits, as recorded during the walkover survey is shown on Figures 7-9. Notable area of extraction include a number of large gravel pits located to the west of the A30 around Cheney’s Farm; marl pits in the general vicinity of Monkton Barton; clay pits on the slopes around Higher Yard, to the east of Yard Farm and Hayne Farm; clay pits to the east of Clay Pits Farm and clay pits around Wellsprings Farm.

During the walkover survey possible hut platforms were noted adjacent to clay pits to the immediate west of Claypits Covert (Figure 8). It is possible that these represent the former location of buildings associated with the working of the pits.

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Maps and Apportionments (Website). SDV349463.

Fieldname recorded as gravel pit close in tithe apportionment book (1842). The visible earthwork does not correspond to any depicted pit.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 3441-3442 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A possible pit was visible as subtle earthwork and cropmark.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1701 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

A possible former pit was visible as subtle earthwork terrace.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

A probable former quarry pit of possible medieval to 19th century date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as cropmark and subtle earthwork terrace and cropmark on the north-west facing slopes south-east of Cheney’s Farm, Honiton parish. Roughly oval in shape the feature measures approximately 32 by 20 metres in size. It does not correspond with any feature depicted on the Tithe Map for Honiton which might support the interpretation it had passed out of use prior to the 1840s. However, as recorded by the above authority, the plot was recorded in the apportionments as ‘Gravel Pit Close’. The possible pit remains visible on digital images derived from lidar data as a slight earthwork terrace.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV349463	Website: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Maps and Apportionments. http://devon.gov.uk. Website.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 3441-3442 11-APR-1947.
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1701 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014. [Mapped feature: #74301 ]
SDV359378	Report - Assessment: Foster, K. + Skinner, R.. 01/2016. A30 to A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon. Wessex Archaeology. 111160.01. Digital.
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6910 - Desk Based Assessment, A30/A303 Honiton to Devonshire Inn Improvement Scheme, Honiton, Devon (Ref: 111160.01)
• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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