Monument record MDO41432 - Possible medieval narrow ridge and furrow, Henbury Farm, Sturminster Marshall

Areas of ditched and ridged cultivation marks to the northwest of Henbury Farm, Sturminster Marshall, are visible on aerial photographs. The features may be those of medieval narrow ridge and furrow although cultivation marks of a later origin are also possible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Areas of ditched and ridged cultivation marks to the northwest of Henbury Farm, Sturminster Marshall, are visible on aerial photographs (1).

The features comprise parallel ridges set approximately 6m apart, with a 2m ditch in between. The areas of cultivation demonstrate a slight curve and appear to conform with adjacent historic field boundaries that potentially forming part of a medieval field system (MDO41430); it is possible that the cultivation marks overlie some of the boundary features but the definition on the 1940s aerial photographs is not clear enough to be certain. The features may therefore be those of medieval narrow ridge and furrow although cultivation marks of a later origin are also possible.

The site is still fields on Google Earth imagery but the features are no longer visible. They were digitally plotted from 1940s aerial photographs by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

<1> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-47, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 RP 3137-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16133.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2018 1:41PM