Monument record MDO40125 - Prehistoric ditch, Tarrant Launceston

A long curvilinear ditch identified on aerial photographs. The ditch is approximately 480 metres long. The ditch runs west to east before curving into a roughly north - south alignment on its eastern side. Other ditches are seen running westwards from the eastern side of this ditch along its north - south alignment before it curves back into an east - west alignment.

A long curvilinear ditch identified on aerial photographs. The ditch is approximately 480 metres long. The ditch runs west to east before curving into a roughly north - south alignment on its eastern side. Other ditches are seen running westwards from the eastern side of this ditch along its north - south alignment before it curves back into an east - west alignment. This ditch links other monuments including Long Crichel (7) (associated with the Dorset Cursus) on its northeast corner where its alignment changes and Tarrant Launceston (16) which runs west from the southern terminus of this ditch. <1-2>

A linear earthwork, now visible only as cropmarks, running for circa 300 metres across Tarrant Launceston Down in a west southwest - east northeast direction down the slope towards the Crichel Brook. It comprises 3 banks, each circa 15 feet wide and formerly up to 3 feet high, with intervening ditches of similar width. There are no outer ditches. This linear is treated by RCHME as a continuation of ST 91 SE 41 (listed by them as Long Crichel 7), which broadly shares the same alignment, and commences on the opposite, eastern side of the Crichel Brook valley before heading northeast towards the Dorset Cursus. However, there is no evidence at present, either on the ground or on air photographs, to physically link the two features although it seems highly plausible that they belong to the same linear system ( a system that alos incorporated at least part of the Cursus). At its southwest end, the linear abuts another linear feature (see ST 91SE 206), part of which was also listed by RCHME as an element of their Long Crichel 7. [NB this site was originally described as part of ST 91 SE 41. That record should be consulted for additional sources and information] <3>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 39 (Monograph). SDO129.

<2> Bowen, H C, 1991, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke: Inventory, 1 (Monograph). SDO14864.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1306392 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 17 2023 1:16PM