Monument record WLN 038 - Possible extraction pits or peat cuttings close to the beach to the east of Minsmere bird reserve

Pit- or quarry-type earthworks are visible close to the beach next to Minsmere bird reserve around TM475671 on 1945 aerial photographs (S1). The more northerly pits can be seen to have been cut in square shapes, suggesting that they are man-made features. The more southerly set of pits have, in the course of time, become conjoined or begun to silt up. These 'pits' may be associated with similar features visible nearby (DUN 085) and others slightly to the north (DUN 084). The features are still visible on aerial photographs from 1973(S2), although they are significantly smaller and less well defined due to silting. Some pits have been completely covered over with vegetation. These pits may have been used for some kind of extraction activity, possibly peat cutting. If this is the case, then the date of the features could be anywhere between the medieval and modern periods.