MMO2972 - Post-medieval or 20th Century quarry on Red Stone Hill (Monument)

A quarry of possible post-medieval date can be seen as an earthwork on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards, approaching the summit of Red Stone Hill at circa SS 8156 3962. The earthwork is irregularly shaped but is roughly linear, measuring circa 35 metres long and up to about 7 metres wide. Spoil appears to be dumped to the northeastern side of the pit. The precise function of the pit is unclear, but it is on a similar orientation to a much longer pit to the southeast, which may support the interpretation that it is following and exploiting a mineral resource seam, perhaps iron ore. Unlike the longer pit, however, it is not marked on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, and may therefore post date it, possibly placing its origins in the 20th Century. It remains visible on aerial photographs of 1973. [1-4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5]