Monument record MDO39688 - Possible historic enclosure, Sopley Common, Hurn

A banked circular earthwork on Sopley Common is visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The earthwork may be an agricultural or horticultural enclosure of medieval or post medieval origin, although a later date is also possible. The feature was digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

A banked circular earthwork on Sopley Common is visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1).

The earthwork measures 7m in diameter and has a possible funnel-shaped entrance facing northeast. It may be an agricultural or horticultural enclosure of medieval or post medieval origin, perhaps a medieval or post medieval bee garden, although a later date is also possible.

The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

The earthwork is visible on vertical aerial photograph of 2002 (2) but is only faintly visible by 2009 where it is substantially vegetation-covered (3).

It is not visible on current Google Earth imagery.

Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-46, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RP 3217-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15566.

<2> Dorset County Council, 2002, Dorset County Council Vertical Photograph (Aerial Photograph). SDO13401.

<3> Dorset County Council, XX-XXX-2009, Dorset CC Vertical Digital Photo Tile (Aerial Photograph). SDO13314.

Record last edited

Nov 2 2017 1:33PM