Monument record MDO2898 - Ring ditch, West Stafford
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Summary
A ring ditch seen as a crop mark on aerial photograph was investigated in 1991 in advance of the construction of the West Stafford by pass. Closer examination of aerial photographs and excavation after topsoil stripping revealed an incomplete ring ditch approximately 20 metres in diameter with a length of curved ditch around 12 metres long, abutting the ring ditch on its south-eastern side. Excavation showed that this second ditch was the same date and designed to touch the larger ditch. No direct dating evidence was found but the archaeologists on site felt that the most probable interpretation was that it was a barrow/ring-work, and possibly of Neolithic date.
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
Three ring ditches showing as parch-marks in the field to the south of West Stafford. They are located at SY 72478937, SY 72478935 and SY 72498928. <1>
Not visited. In regularly ploughed field. <2>
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SWX1703 Monograph: Grinsell, L V. 1982. Dorset Barrows Supplement. 53.
- <2> SDO12304 Index: Papworth, M. 1983. The South Dorset Ridgeway Project: condition and management survey. SDR 574.
- <3> SDO214 Unpublished document: Richards, J. 1991. The Excavation of a Crop-mark Ring Ditch at West Stafford, Near Dorchester, Dorset.
- <4> SDO91 Serial: Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society. 1992. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1991. 113. 168.
- <5> SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 868175.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
Location
| Grid reference | SY 7247 8935 (point) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SY78NW |
| Civil Parish | West Stafford; Dorset |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Other Statuses/References
- Legacy UID: Dorset Sites and Monuments Record: 1 125 029
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SY 78 NW 62
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 868175
Record last edited
Nov 22 2023 3:38PM
