See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Three possible former extractive pits of probable medieval to post-medieval date were visible on images derived from digital elevation data of 2006 as small roughly circular earthworks flanking a larger oval earthwork, on the south-facing slopes of a small knoll overlooking the River Wolf, east of Marlcombe Cross, Awliscombe parish.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1840 AD (Between))
• MARL PIT? (Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1840 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

The visible earthwork corresponded in part with a possible depicted pits.

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

The visible earthwork did not correspond with any depicted quarries or pits.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph - Digital Elevation Data, Next Perspectives APGB Elevation Data ST1203-ST1303 03-JUN-2006 (Cartographic). SDV359482.

Two small and shallow earthwork pits were visible, north-west and south of a larger oblong pit .

Google, 2015, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-2002 ACCESSED 18-OCT-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359580.

Two of the pits were clearly visisble as earthworks.

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

Three possible former extractive pits of probable medieval to post-medieval date were visible on images derived from digital elevation data of 2006 as two small roughly circular earthworks 25 to 30 metres in diameter, flanking a larger roughly oblong earthwork circa 85 by 50 metres in size. The pits were located on the south-facing slopes of a small spur or knoll overlooking the River Wolf, east of Marlcombe Cross, Awliscombe parish.
The pits are located on mudstone bedrock, which might support an interpretation as marl extraction pits. Marl was commonly extracted to improve soil quality or provide material for cob buildings from the medieval period to the 18th and 19th century but many marl pits were redundant by the time of the Tithe Survey.
The visible earthworks do not correspond with any pits depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25inch Map, which might support the interpretation that the pit had probably passed out of use by the mid-19th century. On the Tithe Map for Awliscombe the location of the largest pit was bisected by a field boundary, part of a field pattern that has been characterised as post-medieval in date. A small curvilinear enclosure, possibly a pond depicted in a corner created by the junction of two field boundaries at circa ST13000363, is probably the westernmost point of the larger pit. This might support the interpretation that the pit had passed out of use by the early 19th century but remained a significant landscape feature at this date.
Two of the pits remain clearly visible as earthworks under pasture on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2002, viewed on Google Earth.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV349431	Cartographic: Devon County Council. 1838-1848. Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Map. Digital.
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
SDV359482	Cartographic: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph - Digital Elevation Data. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Elevation Data ST1203-ST1303 03-JUN-2006. [Mapped feature: #76581 ]
SDV359580	Aerial Photograph: Google. 2015. Google Earth Pro. Various. Digital. EARTH.GOOGLE.COM XX-XXX-2002 ACCESSED 18-OCT-2002.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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