MMO2402 - Post medieval field boundary on Prayway Meads (Monument)

A substantial post-medieval field boundary is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks. In places the bank is cut by the leats of a water meadow system. The bank was likely constructed during the mid 19th century by the Knight family.

A substantial post-medieval field boundary is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks on Prayway Meads, Exmoor. Centred at SS 7743 4120, the bank runs north to south for approximately 245 metres but is heavily fragmented in places. It measures an average of 3.5 metres wide, but may have been spread by ploughing. In places the bank is cut by the leats of the water meadow system (see MMO2354). It is not depicted on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, suggesting they were abandoned prior to publication in 1889. The bank was likely constructed during the mid 19th Century by the Knight family as part of their agricultural improvements, but abandoned as surplus to requirements shortly afterwards. A similar bank running parallel to this is visible 200 metres to the east, and it is possible that the two banks formed a square enclosure. [1-3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]