MMO2780 - Medieval lynchets south of Common Lane (Monument)

The earthwork remains of a number of strip lynchets, most likely dating to the medieval period, are visible on aerial photographs parallel to extant field boundaries, indicating that the layout of the fields here has changed little over time.

The slight earthwork remains of a number of curvilinear strip lynchets, most likely dating to the medieval period, are visible on aerial photographs in fields west of Muxworthy and Muxworthy Cottage. Centred at approximately SS 7103 3765, at least nine lynchets are visible, all but one running approximately southeast to northwest along the contours of the slope. The ninth lynchet lies lower down the slope, at SS 7106 3748 and therefore runs east to west, again following the contour of the slope. The lynchets vary in length from 130 to 190 metres, and are between 3 and 6 metres wide, although they may have been spread by ploughing. The strips lie parallel to each other and to the extant field boundaries, dividing them into smaller narrow fields. They are not depicted on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1890, indicating that they were removed prior to this date, although the field system around Muxworthy appears identical to the extant system. This would seem to suggest that the pattern of the fields here has changed little since the medieval period, with the strip lynchets being removed to create larger fields over a period of years. [1-3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]