MEM22680 - Post-medieval peat cutting on The Chains (Monument)

A hollow was visible during field investigation in 2012; this is interpreted as an area of peat cutting. An enclosure bank runs across this feature, indicating the cutting is of an earlier date, but is likely post-medieval.

The Historic Environment Officer for the Exmoor Mires Project undertook a non-intrustive walkover survey of the proposed mire restoration area on The Chains, which included this site. Noted was a hollow, 25 metres long, 20 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep which is an area of peat cutting. An enclosure bank of early 19th Century date runs across it, indicating the peat cutting is of an earlier, probably pre-Knight, post-medieval date. [1] A large scale metric survey of the Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond environs was undertaken by Hazel Riley in 2012 as part of the Exmoor Mires Project. A hollow was seen, measuring 25 metres north-south, 20 metres east-west and 1.5 metres deep, which lies to the southwest of Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond. This is interpreted as an area of peat cutting. An enclosure bank (Mires reference ECH12(129)) runs over it, indicating a date in the post-medieval period before the later part of the 19th Century. Peat cutting on the Forest and Commons of Exmoor dates from at least the 13th Century [3], but these remains probably date from the post-medieval period. [2] A study of the archaeology and history of peat exploitation on Exmoor’s moorlands provides additional background on the practice and sites. [4]