MDE8283 - Late 19th or early 20th Century rifle range south of the Rawns (Monument)

From map [1] this rifle range, centred at SS 5901 4807, appears to have consisted of target butts at SS 5926 4809; 5 range distance markers (presumable poles) situated at 200 yards (SS 5908 4806), 300 yards (SS 5899 4805), 400 yards (SS 5890 4804), 500 yards (SS 5881 4802) and 600 yards (SS 5873 4799) and possibly an associated flag staff at SS 5942 4810. Built presumably some time after 1887, as it was not surveyed on map [2], it is not known when it went out of use however by 1963 [4] only the unannotated target butts were shown, so it was obviously derelict before then. The remains of the targets are still evident at SS 5926 4809 as an oval turf and scrub covered mound 13 metres north to south by 10 metres overall. It is from 2 metres to 2.5 metres high. There is a hollow on its east side 6.5 metres north to south by 3 metres with a further small circular hollow on its north east side about 2.5 metres in diameter and 0.3 metres deep. Some 10 metres to the south of the target butts is a rectangular hollow 4.4 metres north to south by 3 metres internally visible as scarps 1 metre maximum height and 1.5 metres wide, possibly the stance for a building. There is no trace of the range distance markers or flag staff. [4] Several low sub circular mounds are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs above The Rawns, Combe Martin. At least four sub-circular mounds with associated hollows of varying size are visible, centred at SS 5926 4809. They are in an area at risk from coastal erosion, and further survey will be required to assess the current level of preservation. [5,6] As depicted on the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map, the target is recorded as a monument polygon, with monument points for the locations of the range distance markers (at 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 yards). [2, 7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]