MMO657 - Post-medieval field system at Chalk Water (Monument)

Disused field banks forming rectangular and subrectangular fields were noted from aerial photos. The fields appear to be of post-medieval date and may predate the main period of more regular 19th Century enclosure.

SS 8145 Disused field banks forming rectangular and subrectangular fields. [1-5] SS 819 455 A field system of predominantly rectangular and subrectangular fields formed by turf covered stoney banks about 2 to 3 metres wide and about 0.5 metres average height. It covers an area of some 20 hectares or more on the fairly stepp northeast and southwest slopes of Chalk Water between the 310 metres and 360 metres contours. It appears to be post medieval and its curvilinear form suggests it may predate the main period of more regular early 19th Century enclosure. [6] A large number of disused field boundaries are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs. Centred at SS 8173 4570, the banks forms rectangular, sub rectangular and irregular fields on the northeast and southwest slopes of Mill Hill and cover an area measuring approximately 1100 metres by 869 metres, which equates to 35.7 hectares. The irregular structure of the fields and boundaries suggest a "piecemeal" pattern of enclosure, with each field enclosed one by one as and when it was required rather than as a group. This pattern of enclosure tends to be associated with early enclosure attempts, and suggests that these field predate the more regular 19th Century enclosure patterns seen elsewhere on Exmoor. The boundaries are not shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map, suggesting that the enclosure were abandoned by the time it was published. [7-10] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [11]