MMO1210 - Late prehistoric oval enclosure north of Higher Dumbledeer (Monument)

The earthwork remains of an oval enclosure have been damaged by trackways and cattle movement and are heavily obscured by vegetation in places. The enclosure may be associated with an area of Iron Age / Romano-British field system.

The earthwork remains of a small, later prehistoric enclosure lie to the north of Higher Dumbledeer, on the unenclosed land on Withycombe Hill, at ST 0005 4109. The enclosure was previously recorded as part of MSO8633. The enclosure was first noted in 1840 by Savage, who interpreted it as a stone circle. [1] The enclosure was surveyed at a scale of 1:2500 in March 1999 using differential GPS as part of the Exmoor Project. It is oval in shape, measures 44 metres east to west by 50 metres north to south and encloses an area 0.15 hectares. The enclosure is defined by a spread, stony bank or scarp, on average 0.5 metres high. The southwest quadrant has been damaged by a track and by cattle poaching. The interior (and some of the enclosure bank) is difficult to survey and interpret due to bracken and brambles. Traces of an inner scarp 0.3 metres high are discernible. The entrance may lie in the eastern portion of the enclosure where the vegetation is most impenetrable. The enclosure lies within an area of Iron Age/Romano-British field system (MSO8633), but vegetation and cattle damage obsure their exact relationship. [2] Part of the enclosure described above is visible on aerial photographs, but for the most part is heavily obscured by the trackways and vegetation. [3,4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5]