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Summary

A former extractive pit of possible medieval to mid-19th century date was visible on digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014 as an earthwork on the east-facing slopes of Hill Plantation, below Hembury Fort, Awliscombe parish.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• 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.

The pit was not depicted.

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

The pit was not depicted.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2452-2453 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

An irregularly shaped earthwork pit was visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1103 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

An earthwork pit was visible.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain (Aerial Photograph). SDV356259.

The earthwork was obscured by plantation tree cover.

Ryder, L., 2013, The Historic Landscape of Devon: A Study in Change and Continuity (Monograph). SDV359873.

By the time of the Tithe Survey many marl pits on the Blackdown Hills were redundant, with former quarries often utilised as orchards or copses.

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

An irregularly shaped pit circa 40 by 30 metres across was visible on aerial photographs of 1947 and digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014, as an earthwork on the east-facing slopes of Hill Plantation, below Hembury Fort, Awliscombe parish.
The visible earthwork does not correspond with any pit features depicted in this location on the available 19th century mapping. The plot is depicted as a plantation on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map. This supports the interpretation that the extractive pit had passed out of use prior to the mid-to-late 19th century and the plantation was established on the site of the disused pit.
Many extractive pits such as marl pits on the Blackdown Hills are known to have been redundant by the time of the Tithe Survey, the former quarries utilised as orchards or copses. The establishment of woodland on such otherwise agriculturally marginal former extractive sites is a recurring theme noted by the survey. The location of the pit remains obscured by dense tree cover on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010.

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.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2452-2453 11-APR-1947.
SDV356259	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Aerial Photography for Great Britain Aerial Photographs. Digital.
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1103 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014. [Mapped feature: #76672 ]
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
SDV359873	Monograph: Ryder, L.. 2013. The Historic Landscape of Devon: A Study in Change and Continuity. The Historic Landscape of Devon: A Study in Change and Continuity. A4 Paperback.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

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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