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Summary

Numerous post-medieval whetstone extraction pits to the west and south of Black Down and North Hill are marked on the historic mapping. They are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs from 1947 onwards and on images derived from lidar data captured in 2010 and described in individual records.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST00NE/8

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• QUARRY (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

DOWNES, 1880, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134471.

Blackdown pits. Series of pits or galleries running horizontally into the hill, made in search of whetstones.(downes, 1880). This industry appears to have developed in the 18th century and it is thought that the reference to "lapper stones" by stukeley (see st10nw/24) may be associated with this quarrying.(harris).(the 1:25,000 os map, 1962, marks "old whetstone pits" in this area).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134473.

Downes, w. /tda/12(1880)420/blackdown.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134474.

Downes, w. /tda/14(1882)317-321/chert pits.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV134475.

Harris, g. T. /dcnq/15(1928-1929)107/lapper stones.

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

Numerous 'Old Whetstone Pits' are depicted and marked, and irregular scrubby or wooded areas depicted, on the lower ground. On the edges of the plateau at Blackborough Common ‘Level (Whetstone)’ is marked in several places and ‘Old Workings (Whetstone)’ depicted once.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Numerous earthwork pits, many containing scrub or tree growth, are visible on lower ground, as well as extensive linear earthwork ditches, banks and pits visible on the slopes and terrace just off the plateau.

Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit, 1992 - 1993, Blackdown Hills Survey Archive (Archive - Survey). SDV324187.

Site visit 24th August 1992. The above grid reference is only general to the area. See individual subsheets for specific sites.

Environment Agency, 2005-2012, LiDAR DTM data JPEG image (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1104 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV357033.

Numerous earthwork pits are visible on lower ground, with some linear earthwork ditches, banks and pits visible on the slopes and terrace just off the plateau.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

Numerous extraction pits to the west and south of Black Down and North Hill are interpreted, and in some cases marked on the historic mapping, as disused post-medieval whetstone pits. They are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs from 1947 onwards and on images derived from lidar data captured in 2010. Due to the local significance of this industry all visible extractive pits, including those depicted on historic mapping, have been recorded. Full details are recorded in the individual records for these pits. Along the scarp around North Hill in the south to Black Down, Blackborough Common, Tower Plot and Newcombe Common in the north, the galleries of collapsed mine tunnels are visible as earthworks partway up the slope, on a large terrace, and this extensive industrial area has been described and recorded as MDV110227.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV134471	Migrated Record: DOWNES, 1880.
SDV134473	Migrated Record:
SDV134474	Migrated Record:
SDV134475	Migrated Record:
SDV324187	Archive - Survey: Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit. 1992 - 1993. Blackdown Hills Survey Archive. Blackdown Hills Survey Archive. A4 Unbound.
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV357033	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2005-2012. LiDAR DTM data JPEG image (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST1104 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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