Monument record MDO24589 - Prehistoric field system, Hell Bottom, Portesham

Earthwork remains of a Celtic field system at Hell Bottom, overlain by medieval strip fields and post medieval quarrying. Also visible as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photos.

(Centred SY 623864 and SY 626860) Two small areas of Celtic fields. <1> A few 'Celtic' field scarps survive at Hell Bottom, around Bench where they are partly overlain by strip fields, and south west of Shilvinghampton Barn. <2> Fragments of Celtic field scarps up to 1.0m. high occur over an area of approximately 18.0 ha., centred at SY 623864, on north-east facing slopes above Hell Bottom. they are partly overlain, especially in the area of Hell Bottom Quarry, by a strip-field system of linear scarps up to 0.7m. high. The field system is particularly striking when viewed under low lighting conditions from Bronkham Hill (SY 628860) The area is under permanent pasture. Remains of the field system south-west of Shilvinghampton Barn have been ploughed out. Area delineated on 1:10560 Field Sheet. <3> Also visible as earthwork and cropmarked banks, trackways, and ridge and furrow on aerial photographs <4-11>. These features were digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project. Later post medieval extractive activity (MDO25479) has also had an impact on these features.

Record last edited

Oct 27 2023 11:50AM