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Summary

A series of possible Medieval or Post medieval openworks are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs from the 1940s onwards. They mostly consist of irregular linear cuts into a steep east-facing slope of Sterridge Valley. Many of the pits are shown as quarries on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map of circa 1889. This area is now covered by Woolscott Cleave Plantation.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS54SE/141

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1889 AD)
• QUARRY (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1889 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Site of numerous ‘quarries’ shown on os 25” (1880s) map in ‘woolscott cleave plantation’ (os).

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF CPE/UK/1980, RAF CPE/UK/1980 4109-4110 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350276.

A series of extractive pits, known locally as openworks, are visible as earthworks.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89114, NMR OS/89114 661-663 04-MAY-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350315.

The earthworks are largely obscured by Woolscott Cleave Plantation.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 1286 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Site of numerous 'quarries' shown on os 25" (1880s) map in 'woolscott cleave plantation'.

Exmoor National Park, 2009, Exmoor National Park National Mapping Programme (Archive - Survey). SDV350587.

A series of possible Medieval or Post Medieval extractive pits, known locally as openworks, are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs from the 1940s onwards. They mostly consist of irregular linear cuts into a steep east-facing slope of Sterridge Valley and are centred at SS 5534 4504. The extraction activity covers an area measuring approximately 458 metres by 198 metres, or 7.3 hectares, with individual extractive pits ranging in length from between 11 to 109 metres and in width from between 4 and 33 metres. However, the pits are irregularly shaped and may be the result of incremental prospection to follow a mineral seam.
Many of the pits are shown as quarries on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map of circa 1889 and therefore can be dated to at least the Post Medieval Period. However they could be considerably earlier in date. By 1989 the area was covered by Woolscott Cleave Plantation.
Further work is required to ascertain the objective of these extractive pits; however similar openworks on the cliffs at Combe Martin are thought to be associated with iron working. Silver and tin have also been mined in the area.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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