Monument record MDO241 - Medieval lynchets at Lower Bincombe Farm, Bincombe

(Centred at SY 688841) Medieval strip cultivation. Above and below the 300ft contour on the north-west slope of a ridge. Above the contour the cultivations form a number of steep sided terraces, and below the contour traces of a number of slight terraces make a large angle with the contours. <1>

As described. On the eastern side of the area delineated, the contour following terraces have very strong lynchets which terminate at the south end where quarrying has taken place. <2>

(Centred SY 688841) Strip lynchets shown on plan (with SY 68 SE 42). At SY 68848400 an isolated strip lynchet curves uphill and east as if to avoid a hollow, probably an ancient quarry. Widths of treads vary from 4 to 18 yds and riser heights from 3 to 16 ft. <3>

The Medieval strip lynchets, centred at SY 690841, and covering an area of 0.6 ha., remain as described by RCHM <1> and <3>. They are in a good state of preservation, and are a conspicuous feature of the landscape. <5>

Medieval contour lynchets are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and LiDAR imagery to the north- west of Chalbury hillfort <6-8>. They were digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project and form part of a wider medieval landscape of stip lynchets and cultivation marks.

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, RCHME Ms file (Unpublished document). SDO19490.

<2> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 30-DEC-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 23-24 (Monograph). SDO148.

‘(11) STRIP FIELDS (Figs. pp. 24, 484; Plates 70, 72, 216). Remains of strip cultivation in Bincombe and Sutton Poyntz are widespread; in outlying places this cultivation may have altered earlier field patterns (e.g. on Bincombe Hill, see Ancient Field Group (8)). Much has been destroyed by quarrying but the present obvious remains are complemented by slight traces visible on air photographs or from the ground. The position of outcropping rock in risers suggests that some of the strip lynchets were deliberately constructed for at least part of their length. Treads generally slope downwards in cross section, with interesting exceptions in Coombe Bottom furlong, and their ends are ramped, 'drawnout' or quarter-round. The open fields of Bincombe were finally enclosed in 1827 when South Field lay S. of the village, Middle Field was immediately S. of Bincombe Down and North Field lay just N. of Bincombe Hill. Faint traces of strip-field remains in the former Middle and North Fields are visible on air photographs. Almost all the strip fields remaining were cultivated at least into the 19th century but are now mostly in pasture. (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1821: 4453, 6445–7; Enclosure Maps of Preston and Sutton Poyntz, 1794, and of Bincombe, 1827, in D.C.R.O., show furlong names (see plan p. 24). … (b) Strip lynchets formerly in Sutton Poyntz cover some 45 acres E. and S.W. of Green Hill (around 695843) and N., W. and S.W. of Chalbury (around 694838) (Plates 72, 216). Cement-stone outcrops in the faces of risers at the valley head E. of Green Hill and at the foot of Tout on the S.E. suggest artificial construction of the strip lynchets (Plate 70). On Green Hill the treads are also so spaced vertically that slivers of natural ground can be seen in places between them. In this area strip lynchets run into each other at the obtuse angle of the valley head. Strip lynchets with flat treads are curiously carved at wide intervals into the E.-facing slopes of Coombe Valley, about 692841. Around 687834 a block runs in a shallow S curve, probably due to the contours, up to the former parish boundary and must have been contiguous with those in Bincombe. Widths of treads vary from 5 yds. to 9 yds. and riser heights from 3 ft. to 18 ft. Immediately N.E. of Chalbury (about 695840) shallow strip lynchets continue up a slope of 20°. On the upper slope dividing banks 9 ft. across are apparently original. For fields further E., see Weymouth (395).’

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 scale map, 1978 (Map). SDO17396.

(Centred SY 688841) Lynchets (NR)

<5> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 04-JUL-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<6> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3242 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11964.

<7> 2006, LiDAR D0059947 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11966.

<8> 2006, LiDAR D0059946 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11969.

<9> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/04013 (Index). SDO14738.

MEDIEVAL STRIP CULTIVATION IN GOOD CONDITION

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/04017 (Index). SDO14738.

COMPOSITE VIEW OF STRIP LYNCHETS (DBO 131+2)

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, P11456 (Index). SDO14738.

STRIP LYNCHETS VIEW SOUTH. Photographer: UNKNOWNDonor: UNKNOWNCopyright: UNKNOWNOriginal negative held by: UNKNOWN

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452730 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 14 2023 12:12PM