Monument record MWX610 - East and West Man, medieval strip lynchets, Worth Matravers

A group of medieval strip lynchets at East and West Man. An extensive medieval strip field system to the south of Worth Matravers. The features are visible as earthworks on lidar. Additional lynchets have been identified as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs. The system is partially scheduled.

Strip Fields. SY 973757 - 980774. Almost the whole area within the suggested boundaries of the manor of Worth to the south of the village bears traces of strip fields of the open field system. Remains clearly visible on the ground cover some 100 acres but others can be identified over a further 190 acres. They line the valley running south to Winspit, most of its side gullies, the prominent spurs of West Man and East Man above the sea and the east side of the ridge west of Seacombe Bottom. The subsoil is Lower and Middle Purbeck limestone's and marls except towards the sea where there are marls and shales; land-slips on West and East Man are probably due to these. Most of the surviving strips are contour strip lynchets. Despite some recent quarrying and ploughing, their pattern is generally well-preserved and some groups present excellent examples of this form of field. The dimensions vary: strips are from 70 yards to 280 yards long but generally over 200 yards - a length of 450 yards on East Man was probably subdivided - with treads 3 yards to 30 yards wide; riser heights vary between 9 inches and 15 feet and the transverse slope on treads from 4o to 15o. Strip lynchets run up-and-down the south side of a gully about 977767; the slope along the treads is 15o. Other strip lynchets run obliquely across the contours west, of Seacombe Bottom around 980772. East of the village near 976774 are six strips 20 yards to 25 yards wide divided by very spread scarps up to 1 1/2ft high; these may have been village closes. The ploughed-over remains on flatter ground, most of which is now arable, are too much disturbed to indicate their original form. Narrow rig occurs on parts of East and West Man, both of which were arable on the Tithe Map of 1840, and above Seacombe Bottom. It is associated with destruction of the less well-developed strip lynchets. On the south slope of both East and West Man furlongs laid end-to-end meet on the areas of slumped soil from the old landslips. See plan <2> Mainly under pasture: even where ploughed the strips are very impressive. Occupied by Mr Strange, Worth Farm, Worth Matravers. Adequately shown on OS 1:2500. <4> SY 97377604; SY 97647715; SY 97637655; SY 97967720. A group of medieval strip lynchets at East and West Man. Scheduling amended. <5> An extensive medieval strip field system to the south of Worth Matravers. The features are visible as earthworks on lidar. Additional lynchets have been identified as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs <6-8>. The features were digitally plotted during the South West Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset). The system is partially scheduled.

Record last edited

Apr 12 2023 4:22PM