Monument record MDO39849 - Iron Age or Romano-British oval enclosure, trackways and field system, Gussage All Saints

A probable Iron Age or Romano-British enclosure and associated field system is visible as cropmarks in a field to the northeast of Amen Corner, Gussage All Saints on aerial photographs from 1976 and 2002. The enclosure, which is an irregular, ovoid shape, is circa 0.8 hectares in extent. Although most of the circuit appears to be defined by a single ditch, the southern and western sides are partly complemented by a second, outer ditch. Entrance gaps appear to be located midway along the southern and northern sides. The site is presumed to be broadly Iron Age or Romano-British in date by analogy with other enclosure complexes in the vicinity. The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

SU 006104. Enclosure, area 0.8 ha., visible on air photograph. <5-6>

A probable Iron Age enclosure and associated field system are visible as cropmarks in a field to the northeast of Amen Corner, Gussage All Saints on 1976 aerial photograph . <2-3>

The enclosure is broadly sub-oval in shape, measuring 127m long by 87m wide. It is surrounded by a single external ditch, possibly with a secondary external ditch on its southeast side. The enclosure is cut from northwest to southeast by a later historic field boundary. Narrow ditched linear features within the enclosure may be part of an associated contemporary field system. A ditched curvilinear feature to the west of the enclosure may also be a contemporary feature, although a later origin for this is also possible. The linear may be a trackway leading towards the enclosure and diverting around its southwestern end.

The possible secondary ditch on the southeast side of the enclosure is formed of ditched rectilinear features, which run parallel to the southeast side of the enclosure, turning 90 degrees at the southern end to adjoin the enclosure and which form an additional 25m by 21m enclosure at the northeast end; this enclosure is truncated on its northeast side by a later historic field boundary. It is possible these straighter ditched rectilinear features are later in date than the enclosure, possibly field boundaries of medieval or post medieval origin.

There are further ditched rectilinear features ( MDO39850) to the northeast of the enclosure, which may also be contemporary as they clearly respect the enclosure and suggest a possible relationship with it. Their straighter rectilinear form, however, may also alternatively indicate boundaries of later, possibly post medieval origin.

The enclosure extends below two fields divided by a historic field boundary present on the OS 1st Edition map <1>. The two fields are alternatively crop and pasture fields and the enclsoure is partially visible as a cropmark on a 2002 vertical aerial photograph. <7>

The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1864, 1886, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, epoch one (Map). SDO10239.

<2> John Boyden, 29-JUN-76, JRB 3019/14 (SU0010/0010) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15638.

<3> John Boyden, 07-JUL-76, JRB 3098/10 (SU0010/0009) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15637.

<4> Wainwright, G J, 1979, Gussage All Saints. An Iron Age Settlement in Dorset, 180 (Monograph). SDO14247.

<5> Bowen, H C, 1990, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke, 92, Gussage All Saints 66 (Monograph). SWX800.

<6> Bowen, H C, 1991, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke: Inventory, 27, Gussage All Saints 66 (Monograph). SDO14864.

<6.1> National Monuments Record, NMR OAP SU 0010/9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19017.

<7> Dorset County Council, 2002, Dorset County Council Vertical Photograph (Aerial Photograph). SDO13401.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 868718 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 14 2022 12:08PM