Monument record MDO39587 - Post medieval or early 20th century enclosures, Avon Common, Hurn, Christchurch

A concentration of post medieval or early 20th century enclosures on Avon Common are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

A concentration of post medieval or early 20th century enclosures on Avon Common are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1). They are more clearly observed on an aerial photograph of 1977 (2).

The enclosures comprise sub-circular and semi-circular ditched and banked enclosures, some within small groups and others standing alone. There is no clear pattern or arangement to these. The enclosures vary in size but are broadly between 4m and 7m in diameter. The enclosures are close to an early 20th century military training area and may be associated with this. Alternatively they may have an agricultural origin, possibly bee gardens. A prehistoric origin cannot be ruled out and they may be associated with hut circle settlement in this area.

The enclosures are still clearly visible by 1982 (3) but by 1988 appear less distinct, possibly hidden beneath increasing scrub and heathland vegetation (4). A small number of the enclosures remain visible on an aerial photograph of 2002 (5) but none on current Google Earth imagery (6). Their current condition is not known.

The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-46, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RS 4172-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15501.

<2> National Monuments Record, 04-APR-77, SZ/1398/001 112 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15502.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 26-APR-82, OS/82068 V 89 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15503.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 03-AUG-88, OS/88209 V 213 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15504.

<5> Dorset County Council, 2002, Dorset County Council Vertical Photograph (Aerial Photograph). SDO13401.

<6> Google Earth, 2017, Google Earth 2017 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15388.

Record last edited

Sep 26 2019 3:54PM