Monument record MWX847 - Iron Age or Romano-British field system, Studland Hill, Studland

An Iron Age or Romano-British Celtic field system is located on Studland Hill to the north of Ballard Down. The field system is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s and recent lidar imagery.

Undated lynchets in this area. <1> Iron Age/Romano-British Celtic fields, some with the remains of medieval and later ploughing survive on Ballard Down and behind Handfast Point (see SZ 08 SE 1).The remains are in disconnected blocks which may once have joined. (i) SZ 031813. Traces of Celtic fields cover about 18 acres on the north slope of Ballard Down (West end). Only one complete field survives, measuring 46 yards x 35 yards, above a lynchet 10ft high. A negative lynchet 2ft high runs along the slope only 12 yards below the undisturbed edge of Ulwell Barrow (see SZ 08 SW) suggesting the upper limit of the fields at this point. (ii) SZ 030812 - SZ 035811. Remains of low scarps on each side of a natural gully on the south slope of Ballard Down. (iii) SZ 033815 - SZ 039814. Celtic fields covered 12 acres of the north slope of Ballard Down and formerly extended in all direction. Where the fields were not square, the long axes were generally up-and-down. Areas were from 1/6 acre to 1.2 acre, thirteen sides being between 23 yards and 26 yards. Lynchets were up to 8ft high. A double-lynchet track running diagonally south west up the hill was blocked at the top by a scarp, 2ft high, apparently forming the lower side of a 'Celtic' Field. <2> The earthwork remains of the Iron Age or Roman field system described above are visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s, 1990s and recent lidar imagery on Studland Hill, to the north of Ballard Down. A system of banked field boundaries forming small, sub-rectangular fields are visible over an area measuring approximately 620 m by 240 m. <4-7> A second area of field boundaries, possibly associated with the site is located to the south west (see linked record). An area of medieval or post medieval ridge and furrow appears to overlie the area (see MDO29024). This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

Record last edited

Apr 14 2023 12:13PM