MDE11186 - Post-medieval ironstone workings east of Cherryford Cottage Hotel (Monument)

An area of disturbed ground is marked on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1889 and locally reputed to be the site of an iron mine. Its date is unknown but is probably of the 1870s. [1,2] SS 6703 4771. The site occupies the foot of steep south facing slopes overlooking a stream. It is depicted on the 1889 Ordnance Survey map [2] in an area of open moorland as "unannotated workings", excavated into the slope with an associated spoil heap to the south. By 1904 the site is depicted by 'quarry and spoil' symbols, covering an area about 1 hectare, with a rectangular tank a few metres to the west. It is annotated "Old Quarry", suggesting that it had gone out of use by then. The site now lies in a fenced off area of thick scrub and deciduous woodland within an intake area of rough pasture. There is no trace of the tank and although the quarry area is visible it is inaccessible due to the thick undergrowth. Claughton states that this is locally reputed to be the site of an (unnamed) iron mine and although its date is not known he considers it probably of the 1870 period [1]. No survey action. [4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5]