Monument record MDO2169 - Prehistoric field boundaries and trackway, Poxwell

Poxwell, prehistoric field boundaries and trackway visible as earthworks on aerial photographs.

The feature described as 'Trackway' in authority 1 is an old field bank, 0.4m high and 2.0m wide; a bank of similar size runs to the south from the west end of the main bank. Other low banks run to the north, forming small square fields of uncetain date. In the area centred SY 756837 a field system was plotted from air photographs (not cited) by Atkinson (a). Within the delineated area, especially to the east of Moigns Down Barn, are field banks, 0.5m high and 8.0m wide together with lynchets up to 2.0m high forming regular squarish fields. On the north facing lopes around Moigns Down, the system has much lower banks and lynchets, and on the top of the downland it is very poorly defined. <5> Poxwell and Moigns Down (SY 744836-756835) in Poxwell, Watercombe and Owermoigne parishes. Remains of 'Celtic' fields survive over about 30 acres on, and N. of, the limestone ridge from E Poxwell Lodge to Moigns Down and on a chalk spur N. of it. Only two complete 'Celtic' fields survive N. of Moigns Down. The area has been much disturbed by quarrying and medieval and later cultivation. N. of the ridge, partly in Poxwell and partly in Watercombe, are fields marked by low N-S lynchets cossing the valley bottom. These were covered with narrow rig and probably represent much altered 'Celtic' fields. S. of them, on the N slope of the ridge, disturbed terraces appear to be the remains of strip lynchets. A trackway 'A' 12ft. Wide, associated with the remains of 'Celtic' fields, followed the N. shoulder of the ridge from 74408355 eastwards in Owermoigne parish where it joined the N. edge of a possible settlement area related to a platform (SY 753835:see plan) on the S. shoulder of the ridge. This platform, 1/5 acre in area, is bounded on the S. by a low bank above scarps up to 6 ft high from the angles of which 'Celtic' fields appear to have been laid off. A lynchet above the N side of the platform is due to subsequent ploughing of the ridge top. <7> The Celtic field system remains generally as described by RCHM (4), but is very fragmentary having been reduced by ploughing to inconspicuous scarps everywhere except on the ridge itself. Strip lynchets are most prominent on the sides of the coombe south-east of Moigus Down Barn (centred SY 75458365) but even here most have been reduced by ploughing. The trackway (SY 7443359 - SY 74848365) and the platform (SY 75288348) remain as described. Platform surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D. <8> The fragmentary remains of a prehistoric system and trackway visible as earthworks on aerial photographs to the south-east of Poxwell <2-4>. The features were digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project. The prehistoric field system described in <7> is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs continuing to the east on Moigns Down. The features are formed of low earthwork banks forming partial sub-rectangular fields. The field system is visible over an area measuring approximately 1140 m by 670 metres. <10> These features were digitally plotted as part of the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

Record last edited

Aug 21 2023 10:20AM