MSO6726 - Prehistoric field boundary on Hoar Moor (Monument)

A linear bank of heather covered stone and earth is situated on gently sloping ground on Hoar Moor. The bank, of small to medium stones, is 2 to 3 metres wide and up to 0.5 metres high and has a shallow, bowl profile. It runs for 126 metres at a bearing of 20 degrees from SS 8639 4095 to SS 8635 4084. At the latter grid reference it is cut by a track; there is a fragmented 10 metre section beyond this to the southwest, offset from the main stretch slightly to the east. This bank, though quite close to a field system MSO9200, is more akin to similarly aligned field banks 600 metres to the east, MSO9193. It can be considered as probably part of that system. [1-2] A linear bank visible on aerial photographs as an earthwork on Hoar Moor, centred on circa SS 86374089, is possibly a field boundary potentially of prehistoric or Roman date. It is of similar appearance and on a similar alignment to a fragment of field system, thought to be prehistoric in date, visible approximately 600 metres to the southeast at circa SS 87054065, and is probably part of the wider field system which can be seen across Hoar and Codsend Moors. The earthwork is visible on the available aerial photographs for approximately 105 metres, from circa SS 8635 4084 to SS 8639 4095, a slightly shorter distance than described by the above authority from ground investigation. [3-5] 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]