Monument record MDO39498 - Modern enclosure, Hurn, Christchurch

A small, probably modern, enclosure on heathland north of Bournemouth Hurn is visible on 1940s aerial photographs and was digitally plotted during the Dorset Stour NMP.

A small historic or modern enclosure on heathland north of Bournemouth Hurn is visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1).

The enclosure comprises two irregular hollows around 2.5m by 4m and 2.5m by 3m enclosed by a 3m wide bank, possibly formed by cast up material. There is no apparent entrance.

The enclosure is considered likely to be modern and may be associated with wider wartime military activity on the heathland north of Christchurch.

The enclosure was sited on open heathland in 1946. It is still visible under scrub by 1957 (2). It has remained visible as a scrub covered earthwork in gradually deriorating condition on aerial photographs through to 1981 (3). It may survive under tree cover on current Google Earth imagery (4).

The enclosure was digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

Ordnance Survey, 14-JUN-81, OS/81016 V 260 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15467.

<1> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-46, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RS 4169-70 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15466.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 18-SEP-57, OS/57R1 V 160 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15454.

<4> Google Earth, 2009, Google Earth 2009 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15393.

Record last edited

Sep 28 2017 10:17AM