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Summary

Extensive if largely shallow earthwork pits or hollows were visible on digital images derived from lidar data as earthworks as earthworks on the east-facing slopes east of Dumpdon Lane, Luppitt Parish. The earthworks are possibly evidence of previously large scale iron extraction.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Roman to Late Medieval - 43 AD to 1539 AD (Between))
• IRONSTONE PIT? (Roman to Late Medieval - 43 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The earthworks were not depicted but at least one plot had a 'pit' field name.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 F20 4440-4441 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Probable former extractive pits were visible south of the former settlement of Holwoods, within a wider area of gentle earthwork pits or hollows.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, OS/82218 V, OS/82218 V 1154-1155 28-AUG-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359504.

The smaller pits south of the former settlement were partly overgrown with scrub vegetation.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DSM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1704 Environment Agency DSM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359178.

The smaller pits south of the former settlement have been largely levelled, within a wider area of gentle earthwork pits or hollows.

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

Extensive if largely shallow earthwork pits or hollows were visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s and later and digital images derived from lidar data as earthworks as earthworks on the east-facing slopes east of Dumpdon Lane, Luppitt Parish. The earthworks are possibly evidence of previously large scale iron extraction.
Extensive if largely shallow and gentle earthwork pits or hollows were visible on aerial photographs of 1947, 1982 and digital images derived from lidar data as earthworks as earthworks on the east-facing slopes east of Dumpdon Lane, Luppitt Parish. The probable extent of shallow opencast workings can be seen on the 1947 images, partly overgrown by 1982. These earthworks have now largely been levelled, with only gentle earthworks visible extending over an area of circa 1.8ha, taking in several plots that corresponded to a former settlement depicted on Tithe Map for Luppitt, listed on the apportionments as Holwoods. More clearly defined pit earthworks fall in plot 1375, shown and listed as an orchard; the establishment of orchards on former extractive pits is a recurrent theme noted by the NMP survey. Smaller but more pronounced pit earthworks extend into a plot immediately to the north, part of the adjacent holdings of Higher and Lower Halsdon, This plot (1342) depicted as scrub vegetation, was listed as ‘Pit in Great Close’, probably indicative of a former extractive pit.
This plot corresponds with a HER record for finds of slag, which might support the interpretation that this pit in particular, and possibly the larger and less well defined earthworks, could be the remains of large scale iron ore extraction, possibly of medieval or potentially Roman date.

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 4440-4441 11-APR-1947.
SDV359178	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DSM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1704 Environment Agency DSM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.
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
SDV359504	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1982. OS/82218 V. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/82218 V 1154-1155 28-AUG-1982.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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