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Summary

Possible former gravel extraction pits probably of post-medieval to early 19th century date were visible as shallow earthworks on the summit of a south-facing ridge, north of Hembury Hillfort, on aerial photographs of 1947 and digital images derived from lidar data of 1998 to 2014. The earthworks were previously interpreted as possible iron ore extraction pits.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10SW/103

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) OPEN CAST MINE (Unknown date)
• GRAVEL PIT? (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1880 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV137073.

Des=horner, w. /(5/9/1997)/as above.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV2244.

Vis=4/9/1997 (horner + middleton) possible area of opencast mining beyond gravel pits in angle of broadhembury - awliscombe - payhembury parish boundary. Matters are confused by the presence of gravel workings beside the road and whetstone workings on the scarp but the level area above the scarp appears to contain a number of shallow pits and gullies. Heavily overgrown with bracken (horner).

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

A small gravel pit is depicted in this approximate location, not entirely corresponding to the visible earthworks.

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

An shallow but extensive earthwork pit was visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR ST1103-ST1104 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

An shallow but extensive earthwork pit was visible.

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

The earthworks are obscured by dense woodland.

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

Two shallow and irregularly shaped earthwork pits were visible on aerial photographs of 1947 and digital images derived from lidar data of 1998 to 2014 on the summit of a south-facing ridge, north of Hembury Hillfort. The pits extended over an area of circa 3000 square metres in Broadhembury parish, at the point where the boundaries of Broadhembury, Awliscombe and Payhembury parishes meet.
It has been suggested by the earlier authority that the earthworks might be evidence of opencast iron ore mining, potentially of Roman to early medieval date. On the lidar derived images available to the survey the earthworks do not display the characteristic pitting of iron ore extraction pits, and are instead interpreted as the remains of post-medieval gravel extraction. The visible earthworks might incorporate some or all, of the earthwork remains of a gravel pit, not seen by the survey but depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25 inch map immediately adjacent to, and possibly contiguous with the visible earthworks, recorded as MDV46325. The pits are obscured by dense woodland on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2010.
More extensive pits of similar character were recorded extending to the south in Payhembury parish, recorded separately.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV137073	Migrated Record:
SDV2244	Migrated Record:
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). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2452-2453 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #95972 ]
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-ST1104 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

Associated Monuments

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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