Monument record MDO41986 - Iron Age/Romano-British enclosures and field boundaries, East Farm, Bradford Abbas

Prehistoric enclosures and boundaries are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. These probably represent several phases of settlement and/or fields. Four partially visible enclosures appear to have a similar alignment, perhaps indicating contemporary or contiguous use. They are defined by relatively broad ditches, measuring up to 3m wide. Fragments of further boundaries, apparently defined by narrower ditches, extend over the same area, some have a similar alignment to the enclosures and some overlap them. It is not clear if these pre-date or post-date the enclosures. The cropmarks extend over an area measuring 265m by 265m to the east and north east of East Farm.

ST 592 154 (GCE) A rapid examination of air photography suggests the presence of a number of enclosures, linear features and pits. probably of Prehistoric or Roman date, visible as cropmarks east of Coombe Cottages. <1>

The cropmarks described by authority <1> were interpreted and mapped during an English Heritage project on a nearby Roman Camp (Monument 1524583). All available aerial photographs of this area were examined, including those from the NMR, online sources, and the local HER. Most details appear on the English Heritage photographs in source <2.3>.

Features mapped include prehistoric or Roman enclosures and boundaries visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. These probably represent several phases of settlement and/or fields.

Four partially visible rectilinear enclosures appear to have a similar alignment, perhaps indicating contemporary or contiguous use. They are mostly defined by relatively broad ditches, measuring up to 3m wide. Parts of an enclosure measuring 125m by 50m are centred at ST 5913 1547. This enclosure appears to have different phases represented by possible sub-divisions and recuts. Fragments of another possible enclosure are centred at ST 5920 1552. It is possibly defined by a double ditch on one side and also appears to have different phases represented by ditches of different widths, and subdivisions or recuts. A faint curvilinear feature may represent the remains of a hut at ST 5926 1553. A third enclosure, defined by slightly sinuous broad ditches, measures 80m by 80m and is centred at ST 5921 1562. Two sides of a possible fourth enclosure, measuring 50m and 55m, are centred at ST 5912 1561.

Fragments of further boundaries, apparently defined by narrower ditches, extend over the same area, some have a similar alignment to the enclosures and some overlap them. It is not clear if these pre-date or post-date the enclosures.

The cropmarks extend over an area measuring 265m by 265m, centred at ST 5919 1554, to the east and north east of East Farm. There are also cropmarks caused by geological features. The pits, other enclosures and boundaries referred to by authority 1 are to the south and have been described in a separate records.

There is a possible Roman villa site, known from excavation and finds, to the south and finds, ranging in date from the Neolithic through to the Roman period, have also been recovered from the field. <2>

<1> Miller, Andrew, 1993, RCHME: AP Primary Recording Project (Unpublished document). SWX1708.

<1.1> 01-JUL-1989, NMR ST 5915/1-4 (SOM 13177/12-15) (Aerial Photograph). SDO18535.

<2> Linford, N, Linford, P, Payne, A and Salkeld, E, 2019, East Farm, Bradford Abbas, Dorset. Report on Geophysical Survey, September 2018 (Unpublished document). SDO16472.

<2.1> Ordnance Survey, 13-JUL-1970, NMR OS/70267 428-429 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18536.

<2.2> 28-JUN-2010, NMR ST5915/5-7,11,16-18 (26650/30-32, 36, 41-43) (Aerial Photograph). SDO18537.

<2.3> English Heritage, 16-JUL-2013, EH 27753/16-18 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18538.

<2.4> Historic England, Externally held archive: Bradford Abbas Roman Camp and Environs Air Photograph Interpretation (Digital archive). SDO17301.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 981296 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 4 2025 1:29PM