Monument record MDO1992 - Iron Age/Romano-British settlement, Piddletrenthide

Cropmarks of a possible Iron Age and Romano British settlement site consisting of trackways and two rectilinear enclosures.

SY 737989. The suggestion of an Iron Age/Romano-British settlement in this area is based, firstly on the very unusual angular U' pattern made by the tracks. With the stream as the fourth side, these enclose a sloping area of nearly 12 acres. The bounding tracks were variously of double-lynchet form, with thread about 18 ft wide between flattened scarps 1ft to 3ft high, or sunken 2ft or so between banks which were in places very flintly. The overall width of 30ft to 40ft. Both sides seem to have continued down to the stream, the northern first making an angular turn N. A slight hollow and texture mark in grass continues the S side, eastwards uphill, on Cheselbourne West Down. The interior shows incomplete and rounded remains of scarps, some still 5ft high, apparently lynchets. A once clear double-lynchet track with thread 13fft wide between lynchets up to 5ft high climbs around a moderate slope to join the rectangle near its SW angle. At the NW angle the banks defining the feature splay into an open triangle, with darkened earth but with no small finds. An air photograph suggests former ditches here underlying the latest pattern of earthworks. There is no proof of the probable connection between this area and the shallow hollowed track system passing south of barrow (SY 79 NW 15). For associated field system see SY 79 NW 11. <1-2> Nothing visible on the ground; all remains ploughed out. <3> A rapid examination of air photography (4a) shows the trackways said to indicate the settlement. It also suggests the presence of at least two rectilinear enclosures apparently associated with it (at SY 7365 9892 and SY 7375 9905). The features are visible as cropmarks. <4>

Record last edited

Jul 25 2023 3:29PM