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MONUMENT NO. 1478030

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An extensive area of peat cutting probably largely of nineteenth century date, but possibly containing elements from the medieval period to the twentieth century, can be seen as numerous irregularly shaped pits and disturbed ground on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards. The peat cuttings extend across much of the highest ground of Lucott Moor, mostly above 460 metres above Ordnance Datum.

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An extensive area of peat cutting of probable nineteenth century date can be seen as numerous irregularly shaped, densely packed pits and disturbed ground on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards, centred on circa SS 84984384 on Lucott Moor. The pits extend for over 1.5 kilometres across the highest reaches of Lucott Moor, mostly above 460 metres above Ordnance Datum.
Many of the identifiable features are simple oval or rectilinear pits, ranging in size from 5 to 10 metres. Exceptions to can be seen to the north and south of Lucott Moor. To the south, around circa SS 847431, the cuttings are both less regular in shape and longer, approaching 80 metres in length. To the north-east of Lucott Moor, particularly around circa SS 850438 and SS 853444, the cuttings are substantially larger again, in places nearing 200 metres across. The larger pits may more readily reflect the cumulative nature of peat cutting on Exmoor, where one family may cut the same peat beds, known locally as `turfs', for generations as part of their commoners rights.
Due to the difficult nature of the evidence which can vary in appearance on aerial photographs from year to year, the transcription attempts only to convey the general character and area of the excavations, and should not be taken as a definitive record of the extent the pits. Nonetheless, the cuttings can be seen to cover over 35 hectares of Lucott Moor.
Peat cutting has probably taken place on Exmoor from the medieval period onwards, but its heyday was probably in the first half of the nineteenth century, although small scale cutting probably continued well into the twentieth century. (1-4)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

NMR RAF 106UK/1501 4202-4 (F20) 13-MAY-1946

(2) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

NMR RAF 540/931 (F20) 3053-4 08-NOV-1952

(3) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

NMR MAL 76046 201-2 25-JUN-1976

(4) Externally held archive reference

BURTON, R.A. 1989 THE HERITAGE OF EXMOOR. BARNSTAPLE, R.A.BURTON Page(s)72, 232-3

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