Monument record MDO47143 - Possible medieval wood bank or deer park, High Wood, Lytchett Matravers

Sections of banked linear earthworks flanked by an internal ditch enclose High Wood, Lytchett Matravers, and are visible as earthworks on current lidar imagery. The features are potentially of medieval origin and might be parts of an old wood bank, or possibly the pale of a former medieval deer park. They are located immediately adjacent to the north side of the former medieval Litchett Deer Park (MDO7777). They were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

Sections of banked linear earthworks flanked by an internal ditch enclose High Wood, Lytchett Matravers, and are visible as earthworks on current lidar imagery [1]. The features are potentially of medieval origin and might be parts of an old wood bank, or possibly the pale of a former medieval deer park associated with the royal manor of Charborough. They are located immediately adjacent to the north side of the former medieval Litchett Deer Park (MDO7777) and describe an irregular curvilinear enclosure of approximately 985m by 870m, which closely corresponds, but does not precisely correspond (it is slightly smaller) with High Wood as shown on the OS 1st Edition map [2]. Two possible medieval hollow ways associated with a deserted settlement (MDO7825) in Charborough Park cut the banked enclosure on its north side. Parts of the enclosure are truncated by later (post medieval) extractive pits. Within the feature are additional sections of banked and ditched earthworks of uncertain origin but which might be contemporary and associated. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

Record last edited

Nov 14 2023 12:25PM