Monument record MDO4335 - Prehistoric field system, Melbury Abbas

ST 894196 - ST 905196 Remains of at least 100 acres of 'Celtic' fields seen on air photographs south and south east of Breeze Hill have now been levelled by ploughing or are obscured by conifers. <1-2>

Area centred ST 900196. Ground evidence for the 'Celtic' field system formerly covering the southern slopes of Breeze Hill is now completely obscured by mature mixed woodland. <4>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 120 (Monograph). SDO99.

'Group (79) : MELBURY DOWN AND COMPTON DOWN (Compton Abbas and Melbury Abbas). 'Celtic' field have survived in the vicinity of Melbury Down, on the slopes of the deep and narrow dry valley which extends E. from Melbury Abbas village. Remains seen on air photographs S. and S.E. of Breeze Hill have now been levelled by ploughing or arne obscured by the conifers of Gardiner Forest. They cover at least 100 acres on the often steep slopes of the spurs and re-entrants forming the N. side of the valley, between 500 ft. and 800 ft. above O.D. (894196-905196). Other remains occur ot the S., around 891189, at a similar height on the northward-facing side of the valley; presumably they formerly extended on to the higher, more level ground to the S. Across the spur to the S.W., in Compton Abbas, remains of 'Celtic' fields occur on ht esteep slopes around the head ofht ecombe E. of the village (884187); scarps are seen, but no complete fields. Ploughing above and below has removed all indication of their former extent.'

<2> Royal Air Force, 19-AUG-76, RAF/542 F21 080-081 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17861.

<3> Atkinson, R J C, 1949, spec 6 inch (RJCA 1.3.49) (Map). SWX1583.

ST 89901980 Field System

<4> Stone, J W, Field Investigators Comments JWS, F1 JWS 06-JUN-78 (Unpublished document). SDO11902.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206543 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 22 2024 12:40PM