MEM25110 - Bronze Age field clearance east of the West Lyn River (Monument)

An area of probable Bronze Age field clearance comprises four stony mounds and a stony scarp. Two small, upright quartz block form a distinctive feature in the centre of the area. Several field clearance cairns lie in the vicinity.

An area of probable Bronze Age field clearance lies on the east edge of the West Lyn River centred at SS 7275 4397. The remains comprise four stony mounds, 1 to 4 metres in diameter and 0.4 to 0.5 metres high, and a stony scarp, 12 metres long and 0.5 metres high, which are all aligned northeast to southwest forming a block of clearance features 80 metres long and 20 metres wide. Two small, upright quartz blocks form a distinctive feature in the centre of this area. A single field clearance cairn, 4 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres high, lies some 75 metres to the northwest of the main area of field clearance features, and three field clearance cairns lie 100 metres to the northeast. On the south of the spur, just below the steep climb up to the Chains and 250 metres to the south of the field clearance features described here, is a prehistoric settlement, consisting of three hut circles or hut platforms and some fragmentary field banks; a single hut circle lies 200 metres to the southwest. A further hut circle, disturbed by a track, lies some 200 metres to the east of the field clearance features (MDE1295, MDE1296, MDE1298). The field clearance features described here are most likely to be Bronze Age in date and associated with these settlement remains. They compare in form and location to similar features discovered elsewhere in the area, for example those associated with a hut circle on Holdstone Down. The features were surveyed at a scale of 1: 500 using differential GPS by the English Heritage AS&I team (Exeter). [1,2] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [3]