MEM22598 - Post-medieval mound and pit near Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond (Monument)

A small mound and pit were noted during a non-intrustive walkover survey of the proposed mire restoration area on The Chains, undertaken by South West Archaeology as part of the Exmoor Mires Project. The mound and pit are roughly the same size, with the pit located upslope and water filled. This was interpreted as a post-medieval mineral extraction site. [1] The Historic Environment Officer for the Exmoor Mires Project undertook a non-intrustive walkover survey of the proposed mire restoration area on The Chains, which included this site. Noted was a small mound and pit; the mound measures 2.5 metres by 2 metres with a height of 0.6 metres, while the pit is similarly sized, subcircular in shape and water filled pit. May be a prospecting pit or a World War Two military feature, possibly a foxhole. This is similar to MEM22549 and is one of a group of five comparable features on the western side of Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond (MEM22594, MEM22595, MEM22596 and MEM22599). [2] A large scale metric survey of the Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond environs was undertaken by Hazel Riley in 2012 as part of the Exmoor Mires Project. A small rectangular hollow was seen, with a sub-circular mound on its east side. The hollow measured 2 metres north-south, 1 metre east-west and 0.6m deep, with the mound measuring 2.1 metres north-south, 1.5 metres east-west and 0.8 metres high. These features lie on the northwest side of Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond. This is a small trial pit, prospecting for ironstone, and dates from the mid-19th Century. [3]