Monument record MDO41314 - Possible medieval field boundaries, Dowden's Copse, Ferndown Town

Banked and ditched curvilinear features in Dowden's Copse are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features are presumed to be historic field boundaries, possibly medieval in date, although an earlier origin cannot be ruled out. Alternatively they may be wood banks or plantation banks of medieval to post medieval date.They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Banked and ditched curvilinear features in Dowden's Copse are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1). The features comprise broad curvilinear banks that form a series of small irregular enclosures that have brick-shaped accretive character. A banked curvilinear feature on the east side of the group forms the eastern boundary of Dowden's Copse; this boundary is recorded on the OS 1st Edition map but its broad curvilinear character suggests it is part of the same group of features (2). One of the linears extends north towards Conegar Lane and it is possible this linear originally continued northwards as there is a corresponding curvilinear bank on the north side of Coneygar Lane, which may be part of the same feature or a continuation of this group of features.If this is correct then it may be the features pre-date the construction of Coneygar Lane. The pattern of historic enclosure in which these features are situated is almost certainly at least medieval in origin; indicated by the sinuous nature of the adjacent historic field boundaries and the irregular form of the surrounding enclosures. The features may be field boundaries of possible medieval origin, although their small irregular accertive character means an older, psosibly Late Prehistoric, origin cannot be wholly ruled out. It is possible, therefore, that some of the historic pattern of enclosure at this location is fossilising parts of an older late prehistoric agricultural landscape. Alternatively it is possible the features may be wood banks or plantation banks, also potentially of medieval to post medieval date. The site is now Beacon Farm on current Google Earth imagery and the features are no longer visible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Record last edited

Jul 26 2018 11:16AM