MMO501 - Post-medieval mining remains at Honeymead Two Gates (Monument)

Ordnance Survey maps of 1889 depict an "old shaft" to the north of Honeymead Two Gates. [1] The National Grid Reference of the shaft is SS 8049 3933, falling on the northern side of the Simonsbath to Exford road, north of Honeymead Two Gates. This is an area of amorphous earthworks which appear to be associated with spoil from the shaft, and later attempts to fill it in. They form no intelliglible remains, and the shaft could not be confidently identified. [1,2] The site of a post-medieval mine shaft and possible openworks are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs, immediately to the north of Honeymead Two Gates, at circa SS 8048 3934. The possible openworks are visible as earthwork trenches, either two circa 2 metres wide and about 12 metres long, aligned end to end on a northwestern orientation, or one long trench circa 26 metres long, crossed by a central causeway. The trenches area flanked on both sides by spoil heaps up to 5 metres wide. The location of the old mine shaft may be visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as a small depression, circa 2 to 3 metres to the east of the openworks. The earthworks have been largely levelled by 1973, which may account for their amorphous appearance when visited by [2]. [3-6] 8.1.7, SS 8050 3933. Honeymead Two Gates shaft may have been sunk by the Plymouth Iron Company [7] but no details are known. The shaft was noted to be filled in 1995, with an openwork trench running north to south to the west. [8] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [9]