Monument record MDO40983 - Possible medieval ridge and furrow, Petersham Lane, Holt

Areas of ridged and citched cultivation marks in fields to the west of Petersham Lane are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features may be those of medieval narrow ridge and furrow, although a later origin is also possible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Areas of ridged and citched cultivation marks in fields to the west of Petersham Lane are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1).

The features are faint and poorly defined but appear to comprise broad parallel ridges set around 8m to 10m apart with 2m to 3m wide ditches in between. They occupy two irregular historic enclosures recorded on the OS 1st Edition map, whose predominantly curvilinear field boundaries indicate a probable medieval origin (2).

The features may be those of medieval ridge and furrow, although a later origin is also possible.

The site is still fields on current Google Earth imagery but under ploughing and cropping. The features are no longer visible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

<1> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-47, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 RS 4186-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15985.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1864, 1886, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, epoch one (Map). SDO10239.

Record last edited

May 16 2018 2:58PM