MSO10217 - Post-medieval field system at Mill Hill (Monument)
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Type and Period (1)
- None recorded
The earthwork remains of a field system lie on the eastern edge of Mill Hill, centred at SS 825 462. They form a block of five fields on the very steep north-facing scarp above Weir Water. Most of the dividing banks have been eroded by the steep, wide gullies formed by water erosion. The top boundary remains, this is a bank composed of earth and stone, 1.2 metres wide and 0.7 metres high, with a ditch to the south (upslope side). An isolated stretch of bank lies some 700 metres to the south at SS 8312 4525. The fields are post-medieval in date. None are shown on the 1st edition map of 1890 (). They are similar in form and situation to those still in use as rough pasture to the west, now part of Oareford Farm, and were probably used for pasturing sheep and cattle. The remains were surveyed using differential GPS as part of an English Heritage survey of Mill Hill for the Exmoor National Park Authority. [1,2] A number of field boundaries are visible on aerial photographs as earthworks. In several places, especially where the boundaries run downslope the original field boundary has been eroded by flowing water, leaving a ditch or gully. Several boundaries survive as upstanding banks, but these are mostly those running along the top of Mill Hill. The boundaries are similar in form to other abandoned field systems on Mill Hill (see MSO7761 and MMO1241) which have been dated to the post-medieval period and appear to predate the main period of 19th Century enclosure on Exmoor. None of the boundaries are shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey of 1890 (), suggesting that this attempt at enclosure was abandoned prior to the publication of the map. [4-7]
- <1> SEM7758 Unpublished document: English Heritage Field Investigators Comments. H Riley, 2003.
- <2> SEM6889 Report: Riley, H.. 2003. Mill Hill, Oare, Somerset.
- <3> SEM6705 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1868-1896. County Series, First Edition 6 Inch Map. 1:10560. 1890.
- <4> SMO4068 Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photograph. NMR OS/72065 211 (15 April 1972).
- <5> SMO4068 Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photograph. MAL 76046 183 (25 June 1973).
- <6> SMO4068 Aerial photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photograph. NMR OS/79013 186 (17 April 1979).
- <7>XY SMO7549 Archive: 2007-2009. Exmoor National Park NMP: SS 84 NW. MD002166. [Mapped feature: #38967 ]
|Grid reference||Centred SS 8275 4571 (1169m by 1397m)|
|Civil Parish||OARE, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET|
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (0)
External Links (1)
- http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1371690 (Original Monarch entry: 1371690)
- Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MMO1240
- National Monuments Record reference: SS 84 NW63
- National Park: Exmoor National Park
- Pastscape HOBID (was Monarch UID): 1371690
- Somerset SMR PRN: 16150
Record last edited
May 29 2019 12:24PM
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