Dear List,
My earlier profession as a botanist and horticulturist did not assist me in my search for boles in Combe Martin at all, although this was the first route I took.
Firstly I quickly realised that being a steep sided valley, in a high rainfall area, hillwash would be considerable. This combined with intensive valley side cultivation in small medieval strip systems would quickly eliminate surface traces.
Silver/lead mining in Combe Martin was spasmodic, as was smelting. In lean times miners quicky fell back to farming the land with intensive crops like flax and hemp, both these crops requiring very high quantities of organic matter which was provided in the main through seaweed. The cultivated soils in the village are very deep, generally up to 1m beneath which is a deep hill wash.
Soil sampling would be the only method possible here.
Kindest regards,
Trevor.
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