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Summary

Many extraction pits and associated spoil heaps of unknown date located on Gittsham Hill to the east of the A375 road.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19NW/120

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• OPEN CAST MINE (Unknown date)

Full description

Tyers, G., 1996, Untitled Source, 7 (Worksheet). SDV117619.

A few pits, 3 metres wide by 1 metres deep, beside the A375 on Gittisham Hill.

Reed, S. J. + Collings, A. G., 2000, Archaeological assessment of SWW Chineway to Roundball mains renewal, Honiton, 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV117622.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 19, Part 1; 126-127, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 297 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

Many extraction pits and associated spoil heaps located on Gittisham Hill to east of A375 road. These features may be iron extraction pits. The SMR records the existence of a few pits, described as opencast iron works, near to the road in this area (grid reference 1475 9775). During the field survey most northerly pit located at grid reference SY 14919 97971, most southerly pit at grid reference SY 14710 96835. Density of pits varies but they seem to extend across the width of the common between the road (west) and the parish boundary (east). In north area (e.g. grid reference SY 148 978) pits/spoil heaps are mostly elongated and many are interconnected. Varying depths up to 2 metres. Further to south e.g. at grid reference SY 14825 97787 pits become larger and many are relatively isolated rather than interconnected. Size varies, some up to 8 metres diameter by 1 metre–2 metres deep; various forms, linear/subcircular/square/triangular, some are filled with water. No workings are shown on Gittisham Hill on the Ordnance Survey 1891 1:10560 map (Sheet 70NE), with the exception of gravel pits at the extreme north end of the common. The map shows marl pits, sand pits and clay pits in the vicinity. It is possible that mounds related to the workings could be mistaken for barrows in some instances, for example, at SY 14757 96916 is a grass covered roughly circular mound 3 metres diameter, which would be suspected to be a barrow, if it were not for the pits laying 4 metres to west of it. The date of the workings is not known, however, they may be of medieval or earlier origin.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 297 (Archive - Survey). SDV358490.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, Site No. 297 (Report - Survey). SDV359019.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2510 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Extraction pits.
SMR.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3292 - East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey
• EDV3293 - Archaeological assessment of SWW Chineway to Roundball mains renewal, Honiton

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