MEM22538 - Prehistoric enclosure on Deer Park (Monument)

A curving linear bank was visible during field investigation in 2012. This may be the remains of an enclosure around the platform MEM22539. Sides of the enclosure are visible on LiDAR data to the southwest and southeast.

An enclosure bank was noted during a non-intrustive walkover survey of the proposed mire restoration area on Deer Park, undertaken by South West Archaeology as part of the Exmoor Mires Project. This was visible as the line of a distinct but subtle bank; of which the southern part was present as a pronounced break of slope which then curves around to the northeast, before dog-legging out to form a possible entrance. One section on bank survives suspiciously well, and may be a later addition. Stones are present along the line of the bank (some of those recorded as MEM22562) and a distinct platform lies within the enclosure (MEM22539). The bank forms two sides of a possible sub-rectangular enclosure of Iron Age date. This feature is cut by a drainage ditch. [1] The Historic Environment Officer for the Exmoor Mires Project undertook a non-intrustive walkover survey of the proposed mire restoration area on Deer Park, which included this site. Noted was a curving linear bank, possibly the remains of an enclosure around (MEM22539), visible as a well defined stony scarp, 146 metres long and 0.5 metres high, runs northwest-southeast and southwest-northeast around hut platform MEM22537. A short bank 10 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and 0.3 metres high overlies the scarp at its southern corner. The scarp is also cut by leat MEM22577 and is most likely a Bronze Age field bank. A southwestern and southeastern side are clearly visible on LiDAR. [2] A large scale metric survey of an area of earthworks on Halscombe was undertaken by Hazel Riley in 2013 as part of the Exmoor Mires Project. A well defined stony scarp was surveyed, measuring 146 metres long and 0.5 metres high. This runs northwest-southeast and southwest-northeast around the hut platform MEM22539. A short bank 10 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and 0.3 metres high overlies the scarp at its south corner. This slight stony scarp is very likely to be a prehistoric field boundary, associated with the prehistoric settlement features, and dating from the Middle Bronze Age. The scarp is cut by a leat MEM22577. [3]