MMO2771 - 20th Century rig ploughing remains at Great Vintcombe (Monument)

Traces of narrow rig ploughing are visible as levelled earthworks on aerial photographs within the large enclosure on Great Vintcombe, surrounding Acklands Farm, Exmoor. Centred at approximately SS 7282 3971 the edges of the ploughed area follow the boundaries of the extant polygonal enclosure almost exactly, covering an area of some 19 hectares. Nearly all the ploughing appears to run north to south; however, in the western half of the enclosure, traces of the north to south ploughing appear to overlie traces running approximately northeast to southwest, indicating that there may have been two separate phases. According to Burton [2], Acklands was constructed in the late 19th or early 20th Century (after 1861). It is not depicted on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map [3], suggesting it was built and the enclosures laid out after 1890. It is probable that the ploughing dates to this period. [1-4] The farmstead is also not shown on the 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map, suggesting it was built after this was surveyed. It is, however, visible on aerial photographs dating from 1946-8 taken by the Royal Air Force. It therefore appears that the farmstead (and presumably this area of ploughing) dates to the early 20th Century. [5-7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]