MSO7078 - Post-medieval roads on Deer Park (Monument)

An area of indistinct undulations to the north of and within the area of the Blue Gate mining complex (MSO6918). The features appear to predate the mining activity and probably mark the former route to Simonsbath before the construction of the present road in the 19th Century. (See MSO7072 and MSO7077). [1] Centred at approximately SS 7639 3817, the features consist of an area of interweaving sunken hollows and gullies, running north-south from SS 7615 3794 as far as SS 7630 3820, where they fade from view. At SS 7645 3817, a single sunken track runs north-south towards Simonsbath as far as SS 7672 3871. The interweaving tracks strongly resemble the packhorse roads seen elsewhere in and around the former Royal Forest, while the single track is clearly a former route into Simonsbath. It seems likely that these features are the remains of the post-medieval road into Simonsbath, abandoned following construction of the modern road to the west. [3,4] 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]