MSO8319 - 19th Century clearance cairns west of West Harwood (Monument)

The Ordnance Survey 1st Edition 25 inch mapping shows at least five areas of surface stone in the corners of several fields to the west of West Harwood. [1] The farmer at North Hawkwell states that these features are stone clearance heaps, which were in use earlier this century. [2] These features were not systematically investigated. However, examples survive at SS 9285 4082 and SS 9292 4031. They comprise massive stone heaps about 3.5 metres high, and are probably associated with either the enclosing of Harwood Brakes or its subsequent improvement. [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]