MMO1759 - Post-medieval extractive pits northwest of Town Farm (Monument)

A survey by McDonnell noted an oval patch of not cultivated irregular ground above East Cleave. Its visibility is good on the 1946 aerial photograph and fair on the 1978 aerial photograph. [1-3] Several post-medieval extractive pits are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs to the northwest of Town Farm, Trentishoe. Three separate pits are visible, centred at approximately SS 6455 4888, with two pits on the cliff edge. The largest of the three pits is roughly circular, centred at SS 6457 4887 and measuring 30 metres in diameter. 30 metres to the northwest of this pit at SS 6455 4890, a linear trench or openwork is visible, measuring 16 metres long by 4 metres wide. The third pit, a second linear trench or openwork, is located 30 metres to the south west of the first openwork at SS 6452 4889 and measures 30 metres long by 8 metres wide. The pits are similar in form to those seen on the cliff edges at Combe Martin (MMO1630), known as openworks, and may be associated with iron and manganese working in the area. A small depression is shown at SS 6457 4887 on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, but the two linear openworks are not depicted, suggesting that this area of mining activity had gone out of use by the time of publication. [2,4,5] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [6]