Monument record MDO1304 - Prehistoric cross-ridge dyke, Black Down, Kingston Russell

A cross-ridge dyke aligned north east-south west. Comprising an earthwork bank with a ditch on the northwest side, a 90 metre length has been recorded, though ploughing has left only a 12 metre length extant as an earthwork. It is presumed to be of later prehistoric, possibly Iron Age date.

The dyke extending N.E across the ridge has a bank about 27ft wide and 3ft high, and a ditch on N.W side. <2>

This earthwork consists of a ditch 4.0m wide and 0.6m deep, with a bank on the E. side, the bank being 4.0m wide and 0.7m above ground level. A track has cut through and destroyed bank and ditch 20.0m from the wall which runs E-W to the S of the earthwork. There are no visible traces S of the wall on the crest of the ridge or its S. slope, but from the position of the present length it would appear to be the remains of a cross-dyke. The dyke is grass covered. <3>

A cross-ridge dyke comprising an earthwork bank with a ditch on the northwest side. The site, which is
presumed to be of later prehistoric date, is aligned north east-south west. It is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs. <6>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

[SY 58339023] DYKE [OE]

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 129 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(9) Dyke, extending N.E. across the ridge over ¾ m. E.N.E. of Kingston Russell House, has a ditch on the N.W. side. The bank is about 27 ft. wide and 3 ft. high.'

<3> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 3-JUL-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 1 6th Ed (Map). SWX1684.

Cross-dyke

<5> Papworth, M, 1983, The South Dorset Ridgeway Project: condition and management survey, SDR (Index). SDO12304.

Now largely destroyed. Dyke aligned N-S, steeper W facing side where it stands 0.7m high, while on the E the mound rises only 0.2m above the ground surface. The dyke has been mutilated by cattle erosion on the W facing side to a depth of 50mm, revealing a chalky soil. The top of the dyke is uneven and the whole monument was under grass when visited. The field appears to be rarely ploughed. 1/5/D

<6> 02-APR-1969, NMR OS/69053 003-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11151.

<7> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 451203 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 18 2023 3:55PM