MMO2002 - Medieval field boundary on South Hill Common (Monument)

A curvilinear or sinuous field boundary of possible medieval date is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards as a low earthwork bank, climbing the south-west facing slope of South Hill Common, Countisbury parish, for approximately metres from circa SS 7460 4913 to SS 7459 4926. The boundary is not marked on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1889 [4] and was therefore probably abandoned prior to this date, at the latest during the post-medieval period. However, the curvilinear or partly sinuous form of the earthwork, and its possible alignment upon the corners of extant field boundaries, which are probably of medieval origin, may support the interpretation that this field was enclosed during this earlier period. The earthwork is still partly visible on aerial photographs of 1972, but is completely obscured by vegetation by 1995. [1-5] 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]