Monument record MDO8825 - Sopley Common: circular earthwork

Circular earthworks originally described as bee gardens now thought to be either military, forestry or horticultural earthworks. The earthwork is one of a cluster of semi-circular ditched earthworks visible at this location on 1940s aerial photographs and digitally plotted during the Dorset Stour NMP.

Earthwork ring on Sopley Common, resulting from either forestry or horticultural practices. (1) The earthwork is one of a cluster of semi-circular banked and ditched earthworks visible on 1940s aerial photographs at this location (2). They form part of a larger loosely grouped cluster of enclosures and earthworks on the south side of Avon Causeway (see MDOs 8826, 8827, 39680 and MWX1045), which may be medieval or post medieval and agricultural in nature but which are also closely associated with an area of early 20th century wartime activity. The enclosures may alternatively therefore be military in origin, possibly associated with a (World War I?) military camp or training area. The enclosures measure between 5m and 6m wide and have entrances facing predominantly north to northeast. They straddle both sides of a post medieval or early 20th century trackway (2). The earthworks are within an area of scrubby heathland and not visible on current Google Earth imagery. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Stour NMP

Record last edited

Nov 1 2017 1:22PM