Monument record MDO3771 - Deserted medieval settlement near Knighton House, Durweston

An area of low earthworks situated to the south east of the present village was surveyed in 1997 in advance of being crossed by a Wessex Water pipeline. This revealed a series of small square and rectangular enclosures interpreted as fields and closes of medieval date, probably the remains of the village of Knighton. Pottery of 12th to 14th-century date was recovered during the work. A system of banked rectilinear features, probably associated with a shrunken medieval settlement are visible as earthworks on lidar imagery to the east of The Diary House, Church Road. The features were digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM Project.

A system of banked rectilinear features, probably associated with a shrunken medieval settlement are visible as earthworks on lidar imagery to the east of The Diary House, Church Road 3]. The features cover an area of 4 hecares and continue northwards into MDO3770; they were digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM Project.

<1> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, 12-DEC-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

‘Centred at ST 861080. An area of parkland, divided into small enclosures by NW-SE lynchets which average 1.3m. high, and much less well defined field banks at right angles to the lynchets. The area is cut by the Bryanston-Durweston road. To the north east of the road there are many surface irregularities - small hollows and mounds. While there are no definite building platforms the irregularities suggest an area of probably Medieval depopulation.’

<2> Bellamy, P S, 1997, Survey and Observations along a Water Pipeline at Durweston, Blandford Forum, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO14088.

<3> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:47PM