Monument record MDO40151 - Prehistoric field system and trackways, Knowlton, Woodlands, Wimborne St Giles

A series of long ditched and banked linears at Knowlton are visible on aerial photographs from the 1950s through to 2005. The features overlie the Bronze Age Knowlton Barrow Group and probably represent a field system and trackways of prehistoric or Romano-British origin. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

SU 0314 1082. Perpendicular linear ditches and banks, probably representing Prehistoric or Roman field boundaries and a trackway, are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs, and have been mapped by English Heritage's Knowlton Circles Project. The principle elements of the field system are: (SU 0287 1038 - SU 0338 1079) a possible trackway 660m long, defined by two ditches, with a central hollow or traffic rut; (SU 0272 1041 - 0320 1088) a broad ditch or hollow way 697m long, about 150m to the north of the first trackway; (SU 0287 1092 - SU 0340 1064) a fragmentary linear earthwork 605m long, perpendicular to the other two linear features.

The linear features pass through the barrow cemetery known as the Knowlton Circles Barrow Group, and appear to post date the barrows. They also seem to be associated with two possible Prehistoric or Roman enclosures or square barrows (SU 01 SW 194, SU 01 SW 195). Further fragmentary traces of possible field systems are visible to the southwest (SU 01 SW 215, SU 01 SW 216, SU 01 SW 217). <1>

A series of long ditched and banked linear features at Knowlton are visible on aerial photographs from the 1950s through to 2005 <2-4>.

Two principal ditched and banked linears are aligned southwest to northeast and run broadly parallel to each other around 136m apart. The probability of an associated bank is indicated on current Lidar imagery and on a 1995 aerial photograph <3 and 5>. A further banked linear around 295m in length is visible 140m to the west on current Lidar imagery <5>.

The central of the three linears extends for around 815m, from just northeast of the Great Barrow (MDO6443) at Knowlton to beyond the northeastern extent of the Knowlton Barrow Group. The easternmost linear runs for around 624m on the same alignment to the southeast, becoming a double ditched linear at its northeastern end. It is possible that this easternmost of the linear features corresponds with further linears to the north, one of which is shown as a banked earthwork on the 1st Edition map and remains extant (MDO6279).

Perpendicular to these longer linears towards their northeastern end are several sections of banked and ditched linears, which form a series of rectilinear enclosures. The features probably represent a field system and trackways of Iron Age or Romano-British origin, although a later date for these linear features is also possible. It is not clear whether the combined features represent contemporary activity or a phasing of activity in this area. It does appear as though some of the southeast to northwest aligned linears forming part of the possible field system overlie the longer southwest to northeast aligned banked and ditched linears (possible trackways) in some places, particularly in the west of the area.

The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

<1> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1409950 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1.1> Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography, 18-JUN-1948, CUCAP AQ19 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18732.

<1.2> National Monuments Record, 22-APR-1954, NMR SU 0210/35 (CUCAP NN 6) (Aerial Photograph). SDO18738.

<1.3> John Boyden, 02-JUL-1976, JRB 3097/006 (SU0210/39) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15710.

<1.4> National Monuments Record, 13-JUL-1995, NMR SU 0310/10 (NMR 15314/21) (Aerial Photograph). SDO18729.

<1.5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AF1339047 (Index). SDO14738.

EH: Knowlton Circles, Dorset

<2> Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photography, 22-APR-54, CAP 8152/005 (SU0210/034) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15754.

<3> National Monuments Record, 13-JUL-1995, NMR 15314/019 (SU0310/008) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15711.

<4> National Monuments Record, 16-FEB-05, NMR23823/024 (SU0310/013) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15714.

<5> XX-XXX-2015, Environment Agency DTM Lidar 1m (Aerial Photograph). SDO15442.

Record last edited

Sep 12 2024 10:34AM