Monument record MDO5035 - Linear earthwork on Keyneston Down, Tarrant Keyneston

A ploughed out hollow-way or dyke, apparently integrated with a prehistoric field system runs roughly north towards a circular enclosure, as identified on aerial photographs. The linear earthwork is visible as cropmarks and earthworks on aerial photographs, which suggest the earthwork/trackway potentially continues north eastwards, skirting, and therfore respecting, a curvilinear enclosure (MDO5034) - and see NRHE Hob UID 1622652 and Hob UID 209407. The section north-eastwards of the enclosure is currently recorded as a separate feature under MDO37379. The earthwork was digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM Project.

A ploughed out hollow-way or dyke, apparently integrated with 'Celtic' fields, runs N.E. from 920050 to a roughly circular enclosure about 130 feet across at 92150565. <2> A rapid examination of air photography suggests that this feature is visible as a cropmark in the form of two parallel ditches (one larger than the other) extending to ST 9203 0507 where they connect with a single ditch which extends to ST 9192 0481 where it disappears at the edge of the field. <3> A later prehistoric ditched boundary was recorded as cropmarks on 2015 Historic England oblique aerial photographs. It extends for 600m in a mostly north-west to south-east direction. The northern portion, close to the Wimborne road curves around to the east, perhaps around a circular feature that is no longer visible. The southern end is also sinuous and may be associated with nearby enclosures (NRHE 982023). It is one of a number of ditched boundaries or dykes (e.g. NRHE 209364) to the south of Buzbury rings (NRHE 209339) and may form part of a system. There is also a bank defined field system (now largely ploughed level) which may also be associated with the ditched boundaries. It is also recorded on Google Earth vertical aerial photographs taken in 2002. It extends between ST 9207 0554 and ST 9203 0495. It is centred at ST 9199 0513. <4> <5> The linear earthwork is visible as cropmarks and earthworks on aerial photographs <6-9>, which suggest the earthwork/trackway extends for over 850m broadly south westwards of a curvilinear enclosure (MDO5034). An aerial photograph dated 1976 <6> potentially suggests the feature continues north eastwards, skirting, and therfore respecting, a possible curvilinear enclosure (MDO5034) - and see NRHE Hob UID 1622652 and Hob UID 209407 - it is possible the north bank of the linear feature might even re-use part of the enclosure, but this is not certain. The section northeastwards of the enclosure is currently recorded as a separate feature under MDO37379. The two linear earthworks may indeed be separate features extending either side of the enclosure, but this is not certain and could be alternatively one continuous feature. The earthwork was digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM Project.

Record last edited

Oct 16 2023 10:53AM