MMO1716 - World War Two military activity on Scob Hill (Monument)

Two groups of linear mounds (one at SS 7569 4631 and one at SS7547 4650) are on the northwest side of Shilstone Hill and visible on aerial photographs. World War Two military training site? [1-3] Also visible on 1946 aerial photograph. [4] The ranges on Exmoor were used initially by the British, including chemical warfare units, and from 1943 by the US Artillery. [5] Bomb craters and linear earthworks of Second World War date can be seen on aerial photographs of the 1940s, centred on circa SS 7551 4641, on Scob Hill, Brendon parish. Numerous small craters with a diameter of 2 metres or less were probably created during the test firing of rockets on the firing range in this area (MSO7776). As upcast does not surround these craters this would indicate the impact of non explosive projectiles. Larger, roughly circular features of up to 10 metres diameter, centred on circa SS 7552 4654, may be evidence of larger impacts. However, they are somewhat irregularly shaped, oddly arranged, and demonstrate little evidence of upcast spoil which would indicate explosive impact. It is possible they are associated with linear earthworks immediately to the southwest and roughly 200 metres to the south. These linear features, possibly surface marks or shallow ditches, are very regularly arranged and may be evidence of military training with, or testing of, chemical weapons. Similar features can be seen to the east at SS 75 97 and SS 7848 4679. [1, 6-7] 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]