Monument record MDO24653 - Prehistoric field system south of Benecke Wood, Portesham

Earthworks of a Celtic field system recorded to the south of Benecke Wood. Fragments of this banked field system are also visible as low earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs.

Around SY 61308683 are pronounced banks and lynchets up to 2.5m high, of Iron Age/Romano British type. A grass-covered area around SY 61358665 has traces of scarps and banks forming irregular fields of Iron Age/Roman British type. <2> South of Benecke Wood are about 30 acres of disturbed `Celtic` fields on the north-facing slope and floor of a dry valley. A triangular field, 150 yards by 130 yards by 80 yards, lies on the steep valley side under a double lynchet track following the south shoulder. It is 1 1/4 acres in area with lynchets up to 10 feet high. Other fields, with low lynchets, are 67 yards by 33 yards. <3> Centred SY 613867. Celtic field system as described by Authorities 2 and 3,best-preserved on the north-facing slopes, over an area of 9.0 ha. (22.23 acres). Area delimited on 1:10 000 Record Sheet). <4> Earthworks of a Celtic field system recorded to the south of Benecke Wood. The earthworks are best preserved on the north facing slopes. Visible as pronounced banks and lynchets up to 2.5m high, of Iron Age/Romano British type. A grass-covered area around SY 61358665 has traces of scarps and banks forming irregular fields of Iron Age/Roman British type. <2> Later field investigations describe them as disturbed `Celtic` fields on the north-facing slope and floor of a dry valley. A triangular field, 150 yards by 130 yards by 80 yards, lies on the steep valley side under a double lynchet track following the south shoulder. It is 1 1/4 acres in area with lynchets up to 10 feet high. Other fields, with low lynchets, are 67 yards by 33 yards. <3-4> Fragments of this banked field system are also visible as low earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs <5-9>. They are overlain by medieval or later ridge and furrow cultivation marks to the west. An irregular enclosure appears to be associated with this field system, seperated from the field banks and lynchets by a trackway that runs along the souther edge of the fields. These features were digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

Record last edited

Dec 31 2022 8:52AM