Monument record MDO42160 - Prehistoric feld system, Whitesheet Hill, Chilfrome

An extensive field system is visible as earthworks on lidar imagery extending eastwards from Whitesheet Hill. It is considered likely to be of Iron Age and/or Roman origin and reused in the medieval period. The site was digitally plotted during the Upper Frome and Sydling Valley AIM project.

[Centred at SY 5898] Field Systems plotted from air photographs. <2>

Lynchets of a CELTIC field system. <3>

Celtic Fields [OE] [Name centred at SY 59009820 which falls outside the area delineated on OS record sheet] <4-5>

Centred at SY 584982. Pronounced lynchets and low field banks, forming rectilinear enclosures, of a CELTIC type field system. The intrenchment, T2 is a strong lynchet following the contour and up to 5.0m high.

Centred at SY 58459898.
A. SY 58309900. Apparently low Md. Type strip lynchets superimposed upon fragmentary remains IA/RB type lynchets.
B. SY 58509893. A fine example of M/d. strip lynchets, average 1.5m high situated on the eastern slope of the hill under pasture. <6>

[A: Centred at SY 57209860; B: Centred at SY 57059942; C: Centred at SY 58139896]
A: An IA/RB field system occurs around the sides and head of an E.W. valley. The system is visible and pronounced between the 500-600ft. Contours where the valley sides are steep and grass covered. Above and below these contours modern cultivation has obliterated all traces of the system. The field banks average 0.5m high and 7.0m wide, and the lynchets are from 0.5m - 2.0m high.
B: One grass covered field immediately N. of HIGHER DROVE has well defined field banks and lynchets forming enclosures of IA/RB type.
C: A small series of parallel, regularly spaced, grass covered strip lynchets averaging 0.4m high, and apparently of Md. Origin.

All the above areas are visible on N.CPE/UK/1974/1386-7 and 3387. <7>

Additional information and plan of the field system (see illustration card 1) <8>

An extensive field system is visible as earthworks on lidar imagery extending eastwards from Whitesheet Hill. It is considered likely to be of Iron Age and/or Roman origin and was reused in the medieval period. The sytem extends over 150 hectares and contunies to the south in record MDO42335 , it was digitally plotted during the Upper Frome and Sydling Valley AIM project. <9-11>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

INTRENCHMENT [OE]

<2> Atkinson, R J C, 1949, spec 6 inch (RJCA 1.3.49) (Map). SWX1583.

<3> Anon, Undated, Pte 6 inch Dorset County Museum (Anon undated) (Map). SWX2203.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 251 (Monograph). SDO97.

<5> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1953, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1952, 100 (Serial). SDO52.

<6> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 17-JAN-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<7> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 10-MAY-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<8> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Unpublished revision RCHME Dorset I (West) Undated (Toller Fratrum file) (Unpublished document). SDO19111.

<9> Environment Agency, XX-XXX-2019, LIDAR Environment Agency Composite LAST RETURN (Photograph). SDO16524.

<10> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RP 3278-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16553.

<11> National Monuments Record, 06-OCT-2000, NMR18963/23 (SY5798/5) (Aerial Photograph). SDO16566.

<12> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450595 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 23 2022 10:48AM