Monument record MDO4332 - Linear Boundary on Melbury Hill and Compton Down, Melbury Abbas

A linear boundary comprising a ditch between two banks for most of its length. It runs between Melbury Hill on to Compton Down, generally below the crest of the hill. It most resembles a prehistoric linear boundary. It has also been described as a trackway and a date in the Roman or post-Roman period has been suggested, but this cannot be verified.

A linear boundary which intersects a cross dyke on Melbury Hill. The linear boundary rises straight up a very steep slope at its north western end, runs over the lower levels of Melbury Hill, across a narrow ridge and on to Compton Down, generally below the crest of the hill and above a steep north-facing scarp, for a total length of 1.8km. It has a ditch between two banks, `V'-shaped in profile with more enhanced banks on the steeper slopes at its north eastern end. The ditch is up to 2.5m wide at the top and 0.8m at the bottom and 0.2m deep. The lower northern bank is 3m wide and 0.8m high from the bottom of the ditch with an outer height of up to 0.5m. The upper southern mbank is up to 7m wide and 1.8m high from the bottom of the ditch with an outer height of 0.2m. The eastern end is disturbed and partially destroyed by old quarrying but the ditch and banks continue beyond this curving back towards the south, fading out before the road. About 400m to the south east there is a 90m stretch of bank and ditch of similar type, which may represent an unfinished section of the same feature. The two sections of earthwork arelinked by a lynchet and a hedge bank on the same alignment. However, as this section of ditch cannot be positively identified as part of the linear boundary, it is not included in the scheduling. Other slight banks, visible adjacent to it on Compton Down and near its northern end below Melbury Hill, may be the remains of old field boundaries, but, as their date, nature and relationship to the linear boundary are unclear, they are not included in the scheduling. The Royal Commission on Historical Monuments described the monument as a trackway, and a date in the Roman or post-Roman period has been suggested. This cannot be verified without excavation but the earthwork is characteristic of later prehistoric linear boundaries, of which there is a particular concentration in Wessex. While it may have been used at a later date for herding animals, its prime function was probably land demarcation. Along the scarp north east of Compton Abbas is a linear earthwork consisting of two mutilated banks with a medial ditch. The earthwork runs across the col that joins Compton Down to Melbury Hill and halfway up the hill it cuts another bank and ditch at right angles. It dies to a mere ledge on the precipitous re-entrant from Melbury village, but further on it resumes its course, to fade above the lower Shaftesbury-Blandford Road. <2> The general description given in entry 2, is correct. The earthwork constantly keeps below, and mainly well below the crest of a hill which falls to the north and north east. It is inherently weak throughout and looks little more than disused hedge banks beside the ditch. It appears to serve no purpose other than that of a boundary, and by its type and topographical position is almost certainly post Roman. Overall width 12.0m Upper bank 0..1 - 0.2m high on its uphill side, and 2.0m high to the bottom of the ditch. The lower or northern bank is 0.8m to the bottom of the ditch, and has an outer height of 0.6m which incorporate the natural hill slope. The ditch has an upper width of 2.5m, and a lower width of 0.8m. The entire earthwork is under grass, apart from a small tree covered portion at L. The boundary work is situated on such a slope that it has not been under the plough. <3> Published survey (OS 25 in) revised. <4> The 'Ditch' shown on OS maps between Compton Down and Melbury Hill is a disused trackway. (Listed under Roman and Prehistoric). <5-6> This linear earthwork is generally as described in the field report of 25 1 56, but while it is impossible to be certain of its true nature and purpose the RCHM classification is not entirely convincing. While the south east end certainly has the appearance of a terraced way, as the work proceeds north westwards it takes the form of a ditch flanked by low banks. At the extreme north west end it leaves the hilltop almost vertically in one single plunge, so steep as to be impracticable as a trackway. Though portions of it may have been later used as a trackway its prime purpose appears to have been land demarcation. Well defined on OS air photographs <7.1>. Resurvey (1:2500) of 4 12 62 still correct. At ST 88721905 is an additional (apparently unfinished) length of bank and ditch of similar character (visible on OS air photographs), which extends for about 90.0m northwest/southeast along the very steep north facing side of a combe. A strong (?cultivation) terrace 180.0m long appears to continue the alignment north east towards the principal ditch at ST 88451943 until cut by a very deep-worn hollow-way. A strong hedge bank at ST 88541929 may possibly also represent this alignment. Detail surveyed at 1:2500 on AM ST 8819. <7> ST 872200-885195. Ditch on Melbury Down. <8> The southern part of the linear between ST88451942 and ST88801896 was investigated and surveyed in May 2000. Between ST88451942 and ST88601923 (a distance of 240m) this linear bank and ditch has been almost completely effaced by a chalk pit and its spoil mound, the A350 road and three parallel hollow ways but its general line is indicated by a denuded field hedge. Between ST88601923 and ST88671914 the form and dimensions of the linear on the steep east-facing slope are comparable with parts of the linear on Compton Down except that there is no indication of a bank on the uphill side. Cut into the side of the steep valley slope the back scarp is 1.8m high, the ditch 0.8m deep with the back scarp on average 0.6m high and the front scarp is 1.7m high. This part of the linear is well defined, however, animals are burrowing into the soft earth of the back causing it to slowly collapse into the ditch in places. Numerous molehills are also contributing to the damage. The linear continues as a slight 1m wide terrace cut into the hill slope. Beyond this terrace it fades away although the general line is preserved as a slight terracette which is utilised by a sheep walk. The description applied to the northern terminal ' that is dies to a mere ledge' can also be applied to its southern terminal. This earthwork is, as suggested, a linear boundary work that was probably constructed in the early medieval period. <10>

Record last edited

Mar 23 2022 11:43AM