Monument record MDO41489 - Possible medieval field system, Pamphill

Ditched and banked linear features and areas of ridged and ditched cultivation at Pamphill are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features are presumed to be historic field boundaries and cultivation marks associated with a field system of possible medieval date. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Ditched and banked linear features and areas of ridged and ditched cultivation at Pamphill are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1-2). The features comprise a series of interlinking narrow linear banks and ditches that form a series of irregular enclosures and partial enclosures. Two of these enclosures contain parallel ridged and ditched cultivation marks set approximately 8m apart with 1.5m wide ditches in between the ridges. The features are situated within a large irregular historic enclosure recorded on the OS 1st Edition map, whose curvilinear boundaries indicate a probable medieval origin (3). The cultivation marks respect a historic field bundary recorded on the OS 1st Edition map on their northeast side. The map also records a loose row of trees which correposnds with the position of the linear features; suggesting a probable former field boundary (3). The features are presumed to be historic field boundaries associated with a field system of possible medieval date. The ridged and ditched cultivation is presumed to be that of medieval ridge and furrow. The site is still open fields on current Google Earth imagery. The features are occasionally visible as faint earthworks, although not the ridge and furrow. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Record last edited

Aug 28 2018 1:46PM