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Summary

An extractive pit of probable post-medieval to 19th century date was visible as an earthwork on the higher west-facing slope of the Otter Valley, south-west of Westwood Farm, Upottery parish, on digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2016.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CLAY PIT (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1840 AD (Between))
• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1840 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

An extractive pit is partly depicted.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

An old clay pit is partly depicted and annotated.

Bluesky International, 2016, LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects, LIDAR ST1904 Bluesky International DTM 30-APR-2016 & 04-MAY-2016 (Cartographic). SDV359714.

An irregularly shaped pit was visible.

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

An extractive pit of probable post-medieval to 19th century date was visible as an earthwork on digital images derived from lidar data, on the higher west-facing slope of the Otter Valley, south-west of Westwood Farm, Uppottery parish.
The pit is irregular in shape and measures up to circa 75 metres by 65 metres in size. The visible earthworks coincide with an Old Clay Pit that is only partly depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map; the clay pit earthworks are shown partly within a plot is depicted as an orchard and partly to the south of the orchard. The orchard is also depicted on the Tithe Map for Upottery but the earthwork within it is not shown; however a dotted line south of the orchard coincides with the earthwork on the OS First Edition, and might support the interpretation that the extractive earthworks predate the creation of the orchard. The establishment of orchards on former extractive pits that might have otherwise been considered agriculturally marginal land is a recurring theme noted by the survey.
A second former clay pit is located at the west end of the orchard but as it is completely depicted on the OS First Edition it has not been transcribed by the survey.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. 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
SDV359714	Cartographic: Bluesky International. 2016. LiDAR DTM data (0.5m resolution) Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs: 3 transects. Not applicable. Digital. LIDAR ST1904 Bluesky International DTM 30-APR-2016 & 04-MAY-2016. [Mapped feature: #75523 ]

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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