See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Evidence of peat cutting of possible medieval to 19th century date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s and visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 as shallow but extensive rectilinear earthwork pits on the north-west facing slopes of Shaugh Moor, between the Blacka Brook and the Lee Moor China Clay Works leat.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PEAT CUTTING (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp2 5143-5144 12-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352279.

Shallow rectilinear hollows were visible as earthworks.

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.

Shallow rectilinear hollows were identifiable 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.

Shallow but extensive rectilinear pits are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 amongst areas of less well defined but no less earthwork surface ground disturbance on the north-west facing slopes of Shaugh Moor, near the head of the Blacka brook.
The regularity of the pit edges and their organisation across the contours of the slope precludes a natural origin for these features.
It is probable that the earthworks are evidence of an extractive activity, probably peat cutting, of medieval to 19th century date. It is possible that the peat extraction was to provide fuel for tin processing in this area.
Due to the subtle nature of these earthworks it was not possible to accurately transcribe all the visible features in this area and only the most clearly defined pits were transcribed. The earthworks are probably more extensive than depicted and further work is required to define the full extent of this activity.
The rectilinear pits remain clearly identifiable on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013.
Further areas of possible peat cutting are visible to the north and south.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.