MDE11690 - Post-medieval enclosure walls and clearance cairns near Middle Hill (Monument)

SS 749 452. Eardley-Wilmot refers to enclosure walls and a number of clearance cairns, apparently post medieval in date. [1] The area referred to by [1] is on a flat spur between the confluence of the Farley Water and a minor stream on the east. The area is covered with heather, bracken and rough grass and does not appear to have been recently ploughed. At SS 7492 4509 are a few irregular turf covered tumps, 2 metres to 3 metres diameter and 0.3 metres high. Stones could be detected by probing so it is possible the surrounding area has been cleared and these are clearance heaps but they could also be natural features. Cutting across the southeast corner of SS 74 NW from about SS 7499 4509 southwest to SS 7470 4484 on the Farley Water is an earthen bank about 2.3 metres wide and up to 0.4 metres high. This connects to similar banks; in the northeast (shown on the 1888 map [2]) and on the western side of the Farley Water (MDE11726). The site appears to be the southern edge of an area of enclosed land, probably early 19th Century enclosures, intended for development and improvement but not subsequently taken up. More banks cut across the lower slopes of Farley Hill to the north and eventually connect back to the intake walling and enclosed fields. No survey action. (Area delineated on 1:10000). [3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]