MMO1658 - Possible medieval roadway or parish boundary feature east of Oare House Allotment (Monument)

A possible medieval roadway is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs alongside the A39 to the east of Oare House Allotment. Centred on SS 8131 4773, the roadway follows approximately the same course as the A39, but 30 metres further to the south. The visible earthwork runs approximately east-west and measures 300 metres in length. At its eastern end it joins with an existing trackway. It is likely that the road represents part of the original course of the A39, which was later diverted, perhaps to take traffic closer to the nearby quarry, now disused. The earthwork is not shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map; however, the trackway mentioned above is shown connecting to the A39 after passing by Deddycombe Cottage. [1-3] The feature may or may not represent part of the original parish boundary between Oare and Culbone Parishes. The A39 previously appears to have run further to the north in the 1830s/1840s. [4,5] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [6]