Monument record MDO24556 - Upton, medieval strip field system

Remains of a strip field system of medieval origin are located on the south facing slopes to the north-west of Upton. The field boundaries are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs.

Remains of a field system of medieval origin are located on the south facing slopes to the north-west of Upton {1-2}. The field boundaries are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and were digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

<1> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 4446-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11759.

<2> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 4445-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11771.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 263 (Monograph). SDO149.

‘(10) STRIP LYNCHETS: fragmentary remains at eight places, cover 41 acres. Traces of other strips just visible on air photographs, as well as characteristic angular indents in field banks and details on the Tithe Map of 1839, add to the picture of former open-field arrangements. These open fields seem to have covered virtually the whole parish E. of the curving boundary line linking Poxwell Grove (739848) to the angle in the parish boundary S.E. of Old Down Barn (734840). At the N.E. remains of open fields lie against the indented parish boundary with Watercombe. S. of this, other fields, possibly mediaeval in origin, cross the modern parish boundary into land recently transferred from Poxwell to Watercombe. … The remains are of contour type … in the S. of the parish (738833). … Treads are up to 300 yds. long and 20 yds. wide and risers up to 12 ft. high. (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1821:4443–5, 6435–7.).’

Record last edited

Sep 18 2017 2:14PM