Monument record MDO7331 - Romano-British settlement and shale working site near Bradle Barn, Church Knowle

An Iron Age aggregate village and associated field system situated on the upper part of Smedmore Hill. The village and field system cover a total area of around 8.5 hectares. The village extends over an area of c1.2ha, partly reduced by ploughing. Earthworks are visible on aerial photographs.

(Centred SY 93147961) A prehistoric and Romano-British settlement, covering just over an acre of ground on Smedmore Hill, consists of a block of small platformed enclosures bounded by scarps or banks up to 2 1/2 feet high, some seeming to contain limestone rubble. A mound to the south (SY 97 NW 27) may be connected with the settlement, and there seems an almost certain relationship between the settlement and the adjoining 'Celtic' fields (SY 98 SW 24), which appear to have run up to it on the north and be linked to it on the east. Iron Age 'A' and Romano-British pottery has been recovered from a pipe trench adjoining the site (See SY 97 NW 21). <1-2> SY 931796. Settlement on Smedmore Hill. Scheduled. <3> The settlement is as described by authy 1 but minor amendments have been made to the plan of authy 1. The 'Celtic Field' fragments noted on the plan survive as 12 irregular lynchets centred SY 93407958. They average from 0.5 to 1.5m in height and occupy c 4 ha. of pasture on the north eastern slope of a re-entrant. <5> Earthworks associated with an Iron Age/Romano British settlement on Smedmore Hill are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs <8-9>. The aggregate settlement consists of a block of small platformed enclosures bounded by scarps or banks. The settlement was digitally plotted during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

Record last edited

Oct 24 2023 1:40PM