Monument record MDO41344 - Possible medieval ridge and furrow, Longham, Ferndown Town

Areas of ridged and ditched cultivation marks at Longham are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features may be those of medieval ridge and furrow, although the features are indistinct and cultivation marks of later origin are also possible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Areas of ridged and ditched cultivation marks at Longham are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1).

The features comprise three irregular areas of parallel ridges and ditches revealed by waterlogged soils (1). The features are indistinct but the ridges are set broadly parallel, between 5m and 10m apart, with a slightly S-shaped character anad a NNE to SSW axis. The ditches in between vary between 1m and 2.5min width, where visible.

The westernmost area may occupy a historic enclosure whose boundaries on 1940s aerial photographs and the OS 1st Edition map appear potentially post medieval in origin; the southern field boundary may cut the features, which appear to curve to the southwest at this point, potentially continuing to the southwest, although this is not certain (1 and 2). The features in this area appear cut at their northern end by a later field boundary or drainage ditch (1).

The easternmost area does not appear to respect any historic field boundaries, although it does appear to respect a drainage channel on its north side, recorded on the OS 1st Edition map and possibly post medieval in origin (2). The features appear to curve slightly from northeast round to southwest.

The features are considered to possibly be those of medieval ridge and furrow, although cultivation marks of a later date are also possible.

The site is part of Dudsbury Golf Course on current Google Earth imagery and the features are no longer visible. They were digitally plotted from 1940s aerial photographs by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

<1> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-46, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RP 3207-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16101.

Record last edited

Jul 27 2018 1:49PM