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Summary

Numerous extractive pits, probably stone quarries of medieval to post-medieval date are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1964 and 1998, and visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013, across the slopes surrounding Saddlesborough, Shaugh Moor.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE186
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1126056
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/315

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) TRIAL PIT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)
• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))
• PROSPECTING PIT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1964, RAF/58/6399, RAF/58/6399 F64 0383-0384 02-JUL-1964 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363068.

Numerous oval and irregularly shaped pits are visible.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Trial pit plotted by rchm app 1985 but no further reference (sb).

National Monuments Record, 1998, NMR 18021, NMR 18021/31 19-MAY-1998 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363402.

Numerous oval and irregularly shaped pits are visible.

National Monuments Record, 1998, NMR 18051, NMR 18051/19 19-MAY-1998 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363403.

Numerous oval and irregularly shaped pits are visible.

Fletcher, M. + Probert, S., 1998, Shaugh Moor, Devon: An Archaeological Survey (Report - Survey). SDV343481.

(13/03/1998) Tin prospecting pits and shafts occur in widely spaced groups of various densities on Shaugh Moor. A scattered group of pits and a line of shafts up to 8.5m in diameter and 1.8m deep lie at SX55616236 whilst to the north at SX55976316 and SX56166315 very fine groups of shafts and pits occur below the summit area.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5563-SX5663 31-MAY-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Numerous oval and irregularly shaped pits are visible.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5562-SX5563, SX5663 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Numerous oval and irregularly shaped pits are visible.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

Numerous oval and irregularly shaped pits approximately 2m to 10m in diameter are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1964, 1998 and visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013 distributed over circa 16ha of hillside around the summit at Saddlesborough, Shaugh Moor.
Several of the larger pits are either surrounded or flanked on the downslope side by curvilinear mounds, probably spoil heaps. This is most noticeable near the summit of Saddlesborough, at those pits adjacent to the ring cairns MDV2433 and MDV2553.
The pits are interpreted as the remains of prospecting pits or surface stone quarries, potentially of medieval to post-medieval date.
A sample distribution of the smaller pits was transcribed with the full area of visible earthworks indicated using an Extent of Feature polygon.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)
• EDV4967 - Shaugh Moor Survey (1997-1998)

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