MMO1241 - Post-medieval field system at Inner Alscott (Monument)

The remains of a field system and associated clearance cairns lie at the head of Outer Alscott Combe. The remians comprise some short lenghts of field banks, which are stony and have stones heaped on them in places. The field system does not seem to have been completed. Three clearance cairns lie just to the east, at SS 8285 4510; SS 8287 4510; SS 8292 4511. These were previously recorded as cairns or natural features under SS 84 SW 6 with erroneous grid references. A further clearance cairn lies within the area of field system at SS 8284 4502. The remains appear to represent an abandoned attempt at enclosure: the remains lie at around 390m. The boundaries are not depicted on the 1st edition OS map of 1890, and probably date from the post-medieval period. The remains were surveyed using differential GPS as part of the EH survey of Mill Hill for the ENPA. [1,2] Several field boundaries are visible on aerial photographs as earthworks between Inner Alscott Combe and Outer Alscott Combe. The earthworks are centred at SS 8282 4511, and covers an area measuring 610 metres by 580 metres, which equates to approximately 20.3 hectares. The boundaries appear unfinished, and may have been abandoned soon after construction began. They are not shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, and had probably been abandoned by this point. The boundaries are more regular than those to the north (see MMO657) but may have been constructed at approximately the same time, with both field systems dating to the post medieval period. [3-6] Some parts of the field system have been transcribed by McDonnell from aerial photographs. They are described as "banks associated with disused fields… There has also been some ploughing on Inner Alscott". [7-10] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [11]