Monument record MDO41381 - Possible medieval field boundaries, East Parley Common, West Parley, Ferndown Town

Banked curvilinear features on East Parley Common are visible on current Lidar imagery. The features may be historic field boundaries, possibly medieval in date, although an earlier, perhaps late prehistoric, origin is also possible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Banked linear features on East Parley Common are visible on current Lidar imagery (1)

The features are broad and curvilinear in form and comprise a broad linear that extends for 174m on a west to east axis where it is truncated by a modern field boundary. A second broad linear, probably a contuation of the former then extends east for a further 110m before curving south and extending a further 91m.

There is a 14m gap between this second linear and a further short linear, which continues south for a further 30m. These linears may all be part of one longer feature. The north end of the shorter linear curves to the east and extends for 40m. The character of the linears suggests probable field boundaries, perhaps of medieval date, although they could potentially be older, possibly late prehistoric, in origin.

The site is under a modern solar farm on current Google Earth imagery although the west end of the longest linear is still visible where it extends onto surviving open Common. The features were digitally plotted from current Lidar imagery by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

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

Record last edited

Aug 16 2018 12:14PM