Monument record MDO39716 - Post medieval extractive pit, Sopley Common, Hurn

A scarped depression containing a small sub-rectangular area of extractive working is visible on Sopley Common on 1940s aerial photographs. The features may be associated with a natural depression of geological origin, which has seen some post medieval extraction. The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

A scarped depression 137m by 88m at its longest and widest points and containing a sub-rectangular 16m by 10m area of extractive working is visible on Sopley Common on 1940s aerial photographs (1). The worked area has narrow ditched linear features extending north and south from its opposite corners (1).

A series of shallow pits and depressions of probable geological origin are visible along the west side of the Avon Valley near Sopley, some of which may have seen some post medieval working. The shallow scarp of this feature may be one of those naturally formed depressions which has seen some post medieval extraction. To the northwest of the small extractive pit are some additional ditched linear features (MDO39718) which may be part of a post medieval drainage system.

The features are clearly visible on a 2002 vertical aerial photograph (2) and still visible on current Google Earth imagery.

The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Royal Air Force, 28-MAY-47, RAF/CPE/UK/2102 RS 4281-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15576.

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

Record last edited

Nov 7 2017 10:50AM