MMO2813 - Post-medieval or modern quarries on Bye Hill (Monument)

Two small and possibly conjoined quarries are visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as earthworks centred on circa SS 8943 3573 on Bye Hill. The pits are roughly oval in shape, no longer than 10 metres and separated by a baulk of less than one metre. No entrance trackway is apparent. They are not marked on the on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1890, and may therefore have passed out of use by this time. Alternatively they may be early 20th century in date but this seems unlikely as they are not marked on later map editions. Their purpose is unclear but they are one of at least 8 similarly sized features visible over the summit of Bye Hill which may be evidence of mineral prospection. Most of these small pits appear to have been levelled by the 1970s. [1-4] 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]