Monument record MDO3838 - Cross dyke on Fore Top, Fontmell Magna

A cross dyke comprising a single bank and ditch crosses the crest of a spur called Fore Top. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

Two cross ridge dykes of probable Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age date, cutting north west/south east across a hogs-back spur in enclosed downland. 'A' Extends from ST 87881815 to ST 88321802, is partly wooded and has suffered considerable mutilation. Physically both dykes remain as described by RCHM <2>. The cross dykes were acquired by the National Trust in 1977 <3.2>. Divorced surveys at 1:2500 on permatrace. <3> The cross dyke runs in a straight line obliquely across the spur and has a bank 8m wide and up to 1m high with a ditch on its northern side, 5m wide and 0.5m deep. A vehicle track has breached the bank near the centre, adjacent to the wood, and to the west of this the bank has been partly or totally reduced in height in two stretches, 17m and 35m long. It is understood that this was done by a previous owner to create a golf course. Another track has truncated the bank near the western end adjacent to the parish boundary. The earthwork fades out at each end just above the steep slopes. In 1997 during the relaying of a water pipe through the central gap, part of the ditch fill was exposed. Environmental evidence from the archaeological levels indicated that the ditch was created in cleared woodland, but grassland subsequently predominated and was grazed intensively. The change in land use to a more managed landscape suggests that the cross dyke may have been part of local land allotment and animal containment. <6> <7>

Record last edited

Sep 21 2022 5:14PM