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Summary

Ten trial or prospecting pits visible on aerial photos taken in 1998, two of which were exposed during an archaeological evaluation undertaken in 2009 in advance of the extension of quarrying activity. These are part of a group of more than 30 prospecting pits of possibly medieval to 19th date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s to the 1970s as earthworks on the south-facing slopes of Shaugh Moor, west and south of Emmets Post. The southern half of the group was probably destroyed by excavation and landscaping associated with the Lee Moor quarry by the early 2000s.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PROSPECTING PIT (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• (Former Type) TRIAL PIT (XIX to Late 20th Century - 1801 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RS 4256-4257 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

Banked pits are visible as earthworks.

West Air Photography, 1975, WAP 11722, WAP 11722/5 18-NOV-1975 (BT 1715) (Aerial Photograph). SDV363329.

Banked pits are visible as earthworks.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5663 01-JUN-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Banked pits are visible as earthworks.

Steinmetzer, M., 2009, Archaeological Evaluation at Headon South Tip and Emmet's Post, Lee Moor, Devon, 2, 4-6 (Report - Evaluation). SDV347908.

Ten trial or prospection pits are visible on aerial photos taken in 1998 to the south of Emmets Post and were still visible in 2009 as landscape features. Two of the pits (1810 and 1903 in trenches 18 and 19 respectively) were exposed during an archaeological evaluation undertaken in 2009 in advance of the extension of quarrying activity. No finds or dating evidence was recovered but they are likely to be late 19th century or later in date.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5763 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Banked pits are visible as earthworks.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

A group of more than 30 pits is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s to the 1970s as earthworks on the south-facing slopes of Shaugh Moor, west and south of Emmets Post.
The pits are roughly circular in plan and measure up to approximately 6m in diameter. Most are surrounded by a narrow bank of upcast material, probably spoil.
The pits extend over an area of approximately 1.4ha, but are not evenly distributed, often concentrated in clusters of 2 to 3.
The pits are interpreted as the remains of prospecting pits, probably associated with tin-mining of medieval to 19th century date.
The pits cut the earthworks of a north-south banked hollow, probably a trackway, recorded separately, which must therefore be earlier in date than the prospecting activity.
A roughly west to east quarry service track bisects the pit group and has probably destroyed the greatest concentrations of pits at circa SX56926308 and SX57106303.
A number of pits are identifiable north of the track on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2002 onwards and visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013, and probably survive as earthworks.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5356 - Archaeological Evaluation at Emmets Post, Lee Moor
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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