Monument record MDO314 - Prehistoric field system on Bincombe Hill, Bincombe

(Centred SY 689846) Field system taken from air photographs in 1949. (not cited) <1>

In the northern part of the area delineated a few isolated, fragmentary remains of a "Celtic" type field system are vaguely visible in land under the plough. At SY 68808468 on a fairly gentle slope, low field banks and lynchets averaging 0.3m high are visible in pasture land. To the south of these the hill slope is exceptionally steep and no trace of a field system was observed. <2>

Ancient Field Group on Bincombe Hill (SY 687847-691847), in Bincombe parish. Traces of "Celtic" fields over 15 acres mostly on the crest and south shoulder of Bincombe Hill include, towards the west, three long fields with lynchets about 1 1/2ft high on a slope steepening to 11o.

Two are 100 yds. by 21 yds. and one about 120 yds. by 30 yds. Ploughing at some uncertain period has almost destroyed fields south of the line of barrows and removed the east ditch of round barrow (SY 68 SE 34). "Celtic" fields once continued north into the area of Bincombe "North Field" where relatively recent ploughing has obliterated almost all earlier field traces. Sherds of Romano-British coarse ware were found mostly north of the barrows. <3>

The field system centred at SY 689847 and covering an area of approximately 1.0ha is generally as described by RCHM (3). The field N and NE of the barrows was under crops at the time of visit, but in the field to the W and SW of the barrows, under pasture, old rectilinear field boundaries are plainly visible extending as far as the crest of the steep SW facing slope overlooking Bincombe. Area outlined on 1:10 000 Record Sheet. <4>

Fragments of a 'celtic' type field system are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs <5-6> on Bincombe Hill. The features which are likely to be of Iron and or Roman date were digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

<1> Atkinson, R J C, Annotated record map: corr 6", 1.3.1949 (Map). SDO19531.

<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 Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 30-DEC-54 (Unpublished document).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 3, 627 (Monograph). SDO150.

'Group (8): Bincombe Hill (SY 68 SE; 687847-691847), in Bincombe parish. Traces of 'Celtic' fields over 15 acres mostly on the crest and S. shoulder of Bincombe Hill include, towards the W., three long fields with lynchets about 1½ ft. high on a slope steepening to 11°. Two are 100 yds. by 21 yds. and one about 120 yds by 30 yds. Ploughing at some uncertain period has almost destroyed fields S. of the line of barrows and removed the E. ditch of round barrows Bincombe (46). 'Celtic' fields once continued N. into the area of Bomcombe 'North Field' (see Fig. p.24) where relatively recent ploughing has olbliterated almost all earlier field traces. Sherds of Romano-British coarse ware were found mostly N. of the barrows. (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1821: 6445-6).'

<3.1> Royal Air Force, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 6445-46 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20045.

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 04-JUL-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<5> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3332-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11962.

<6> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 4299-300 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11961.

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

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/04018 (Index). SDO14738.

SECTION FROM SURVEY SHEET XLVII SE SHOWING CELTIC FIELDS

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/04019 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF CELTIC FIELDS AND BARROW GROUP

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452686 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 8 2023 5:01PM