MMO2433 - World War Two military training earthworks on Almsworthy Common (Monument)

A row of six roughly circular pits or craters, visible as earthworks on aerial photographs, is evidence of military training activity of Second World War date. They may be craters caused by artillery fire or created during infantry manoeuvres.

A row of six roughly circular pits or craters roughly 7 metres in diameter is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks, centred approximately on SS 8472 4156. The pits are clearly evidence of military activity of Second World War date. However, although the row arrangement is typical of test firing craters, they are rather closely spaced at 30 metre intervals. The earthworks also do not have the typical clean circular plan and bowl like profiled of bomb or impact craters, being somewhat irregular in shape and uneven profile, and their close relationship to tracks potentially caused by military vehicles may indicate they were created during infantry manoeuvres or other field based activity. [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]