Monument record MDO2945 - Medieval settlement, Whitcombe

Remains of a deserted medieval settlement at Whitcombe visible as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs. Located at the head of a dry valley west of the present hamlet at Whitcombe, which occupies the eastern part of the settlement. Surviving features include 6 artificial terraces, possibly representing the site of Medieval buildings, several hollow ways, the outer boundary which survives as a bank and ditch and the parish church and churchyard which is now redundant.

SY 717882. Settlement remains of Whitcombe village, of which by the late 18th century only the church, the farm buildings and a few cottages remained, cover 14 acres east and north east of the existing buildings. <1-2> The earthworks of the deserted Medieval village at Whitcombe have been surveyed by the Dorset Institute of Higher Education, Weymouth. <3> SY 71708830 Whitcomb shrunken Medieval village earthworks are well preserved in permanent pasture and cover an area of approximately 3.3 ha (8.0 acres). Remains consist of portions of the perimeter boundary bank and ditch, part of a hollow-way at least seven identifiable house platforms with associated enclosures and minor scarps and banks. Earthworks poorly defined on OS air photographs. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. Area SY 71838809 Vague and unsurveyable banks are visible in the plough-land to the south-east of the village. Surface scatterings of brick, pottery, and domestic debris, are indicative of former settlement. <4> Whitcombe DMV: Scheduled. (6) Remains of a deserted Medieval settlement at Whitcombe located at the head of a dry valley, west of the present hamlet at Whitcombe, which occupies the eastern part of the settlement. Surviving features include 6 artificial terraces, possibly representing the site of Medieval buildings, several hollow ways, the outer boundary which survives as a bank and ditch and the parish church (listed Grade I) which is now redundant and churchyard with post Medieval graves, some of which are listed Grade II. The reduction in size of the settlement occurred gradually during the 17th and 19th centuries. <8> Remains of a deserted medieval settlement at Whitcombe visible as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs. Surviving features include 6 artificial terraces, possibly representing the site of medieval buildings, the parish church and churchyard, which is now redundant, several hollow ways, the outer boundary which survives as a bank and ditch, and an associated field system. <9-15>

Record last edited

Jan 10 2024 11:10AM