Monument record MDO41214 - Possible medieval ridge and furrow, Broadstone, Poole

An area of ridged and ditched cultivation marks to the south of Broadstone are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features may be those of medieval ridge and furrow, although a later origin is also possible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

An area of ridged and ditched cultivation marks to the south of Broadstone are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1).

The features comprise parallel ridges around 5m apart with 1.5m wide ditches in betweeen. The features are situated in an area of former heath as recorded on the OS 1st Edition map (2); the field boundaries containing the features may be modern in origin and the features do not appear to have any relationship to the adjacent historic field boundaries shown on the OS 1st Edition map (1 and 2).

The form of the features, widely set ridges and ditches, suggests possible medieval ridge and furrow, although given their location and relationship to the pattern of surrounding historic enclosure a later origin is also possible.

The site is under housing on current Google Earth imagery. The features are no longer visible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-46, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RS 4201-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16056.

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

Record last edited

Jan 6 2020 10:42AM