Monument record MDO3356 - Strip Lynchets beside Portesham Road, Winterborne Steepleton

Well preserved earthworks of a medieval field system with strip lynchets covering an area of about 28 acres. The earthworks survive to a height of 2.5 metres.

Pronounced grass covered Medieval strip lynchets, regularly spaced and parallel, and from 1.0m to 2.5m high. <1>

A series of strip lynchets (SY 615896-SY 621901) covers 28 acres on the east side of the Portesham road valley. Treads vary in width from 2 yards to 60 yards. <3>

Lynchets visible on air photographs as described above, and also at SY 618902, as published on OS 6" 1963. SY 61488955 to SY 62139010. An outstanding example of contour-following Medieval-type strip lynchets, dimensions as noted by Auths 2 and 3. Extremely well-preserved, under permanent pasture. Published Survey (1:2500) correct. <4>

<1> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 25-MAR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(Centred SY 618898) Strip Lynchets (NR) (three times)

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 396-7 (Monograph). SDO149.

(12) STRIP FIELDS (Fig. in pocket; Plate 207) occur on Chalk to the W., S.E. and N. of the village, covering about 37 acres now mostly used as pasture. All the surviving strip lynchets are of contour type. Treads vary from 2 yds. to 60 yds. wide and risers from 1½ ft. to 14 ft. in height. Natural slopes are from 3° to 15°. Other slight remains and traces on air photographs show, with the aid of the Tithe Map of 1840, that a much greater extent of the parish, up to 375 acres, was once cultivated in strips. These traces are seen on Greensand and Bagshot Beds as well as on the Chalk. They indicate also the former existence of up-anddown strip lynchets and broad ridge-and-furrow.
The Tithe Map shows three large open fields: West (75 acres), Middle (95 acres) and East Fields (84 acres) and Loscombe, a smaller open field to the S.W. of Middle Field, separated from it by downland called Rowden. Most of the surviving remains can be fitted into the pattern of named furlongs making up these fields, but other strip lynchets outside their limits as well as angular recesses in modern boundaries, formerly marking the ends of strips, suggest that the open field system was once larger. It extended S. and E. of East Field, S. of Middle Field and N. of the village in the area known in 1840 as North Down. Traces of strip cultivation also cut through 'Celtic' fields on Cowleaze, S. of Loscombe (see Ancient Field Group (3)).
Comparison between the map and the remains illuminates field structure and arrangement. Shading on the Tithe Map indicates substantial risers to the strip lynchets in Crabtree, Benneck and Walls furlongs (in Middle field; group (b) below). On the ground unploughed wedges, or 'gores', between these risers at the S. end of Walls furlong show that the terraces were built up by long plough action (see profile). The uphill treads here have a downward cross slope of 7°, but those lower down, on a similar natural slope, are virtually flat. Turning arrangements for the plough at the end of each of these furlongs (where the map seems to show a series of butt junctions) depended on a system of interlocking ramps. On the W. of the Portesham road some contour strip lynchets seem to have ended against headlands at right angles to the slope.
Several furlong names apparently refer to antiquities which have disappeared, for example 'Catsbarrow' and 'Lot Barrow'. 'Brass Stone' probably refers to the stones described below under Monument (65). 'Broadlands' might well refer to broad ridge-and-furrow and perhaps recalls a name in use in the early 16th century (Hutchins II, 775). (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1934: 3092–6 and 5092–5.)
(a) Three strip lynchets (615889) overlie 'Celtic' fields; in 1840 they were part of Loscombe field but are now in a wood.
(b) A series of strip lynchets (615896–621901) covering 28 acres extends for ½ mile on the E. side of the Portesham road valley (Plate 207), corresponding from S. to N. with Crabtree, Benneck, Walls, Taskers Bar and White Horse furlongs in Middle Field, arable in 1840. Treads vary in width from 2 yds. to 60 yds. Narrow rig still to be seen on the upper treads of the two N. furlongs is presumably datable to 1840 or later.
(c) Three strip lynchets (618902) lie N.W. of the Portesham road. In 1840 they were part of Twelve Acre Furlong in West Field. These seem to be the strips noted in 1903 but described as near Winterbourne Abbas (C. March, Dorset Procs. XXIV (1903), 83–4).
(d) Two strip lynchets (627900) face S. on North Hill, part of North Down, pasture in 1840. Their W. ends have been cut into and crossed by narrow rig, which also lies below them. A sunken track cutting diagonally across them is shown on the Tithe Map.
(e) Remains of at least four strip lynchets (631895) lie on a N. slope immediately S.E. of some of the village remains (11). In 1840 they were in Carry Hill pasture.

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 28-MAR-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<4.1> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 5093-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11872.

<5> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<6> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/03996 (Index). SDO14738.

LYNCHETS RUN SY 6148 8955 TO 6213 9010

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, CC72/01467 (Index). SDO14738.

LYNCHETS RUN SY 6148 8955 TO 6213 9010

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/03996 (Index). SDO14738.

LYNCHETS RUN SY 6148 8955 TO 6213 9010

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452528 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

LYNCHETS RUN SY 6148 8955 TO 6213 9010

Record last edited

May 17 2023 3:45PM