Monument record MDO41389 - Possible post medieval extractive pit, Parley Common,West Parley

An area of possible post medieval extraction on Parley Common is visible as a series of shallow irregular depressions on 1940s aerial photographs. The features appear to underlie historic field boundaries of probable post medieval date, recorded on the OS 1st Edition map. It is possible, however, that some or all of these features are natural in origin. The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

A 570m by 247m area of possible post medieval extraction on Parley Common is visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1).

The features comprise a series of shallow irregular depressions, some of which appear to be water-filled in 1945 (1). Some features potentially form deeper depressions within a wider area of possible shallow extraction. Some features also appear to underlie, or be cut by, historic field boundaries of probable post medieval date, recorded on the OS 1st Edition map (2). The possible pits are recorded under one record as there is some uncertaintly about these features, some or all of which may alternatively be natural in origin.

The site is still open common but under trees and low scrubby vegetation on current Google earth imagery. Some features are still visible as water-filled hollows below the tree canopy but some of the features are no longer visible. They were digitally plotted from 1940s aerial photographs by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

<1> Royal Air Force, 20-MAR-45, RAF/106G/LA/187 RS 4043-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16095.

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

Record last edited

Aug 16 2018 2:58PM