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Summary

Evidence of whetstone mine galleries of probable 18th to 19th and possibly early 20th century date were visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards and digital images derived from lidar data captured from 1998 to 2014, as earthwork hollows on the south-west-facing ramparts on the southern tip of Hembury Fort, Payhembury parish.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1018850: Hembury Fort

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10SW/97/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MINE (Early Medieval to XX - 1066 AD to 1947 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Linear gullies and earthwork mounds were visible.

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/541/453, RAF/541/453 RS 4104-4105 04-MAR-1950 (Aerial Photograph). SDV357845.

Linear gullies and earthwork mounds were visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1982, OS/82218 V, OS/82218 V 1147-1148 28-AUG-1982 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359504.

The earthworks were largely obscured by tree cover.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1102 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

Linear earthwork hollows were visible as subtle earthworks.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1102 22-MAY-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356259.

The earthworks were largely obscured by dense tree cover.

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

The remains of linear gullies running perpendicular to the contours of the slope and were visible as earthworks on the south-west-facing ramparts on the southern tip of Hembury Fort, Payhembury parish, on aerial photographs of 1947 onwards. The linear hollows were up to circa 2 metres wide and up to 18 metres long, running perpendicular to the contours of the ramparts. They are interpreted as having formed over the collapsed remains of former post-medieval whetstone mine galleries. No evidence of spoil mounds immediately downslope of the collapsed tunnels has been noted, but could have been incorporated into the rampart earthworks.
The earthworks are partially obscured by light woodland cover on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 1982 and 2010 but some degree of survival is indicated on digital images derived from lidar data captured from 1998 to 2014.

Sources / Further Reading

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. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST1102 22-MAY-2010.
SDV357845	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF/541/453. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/541/453 RS 4104-4105 04-MAR-1950. [Mapped feature: #77234 ]
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1102 Environment Agency DTM 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 1147-1148 28-AUG-1982.

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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