Monument record MDO43762 - Medieval settlement of Overcombe, Coombe Farm, Castleton

Possible shrunken settlement now occupied by Coombe Farm, suggested to be the settlement of Overcombe. It had a chapel and is referred to as one of the six tithings of the parish of Sherborne. Earthworks of medieval strip lynchets are also present. Field investigations in 1977 found the earthworks surviving to a height of 2.5 metres and width of 20 metres. Medieval pottery has been found in the area. The lynchets are visible as linear earthworks on 1970s aerial photographs and lidar imagery.

In 1949-50 N Jee of Marston Magna discovered Romano-British and Medieval pottery on the surface of strip lynchets centred at ST 619183. <1>

ST 61831838. An area of fairly pronounced, parallel, grass covered contour following strip lynchets, the lowest one of which is extremely irregular. No surface finds. <2>

The area was under pasture when visited, and no finds were made. The Medieval type lynchets remain as described, averaging 2.5m high and 20.0m wide. <3>

Overcombe is represented today by Coombe Farm. According to Hutchins, it once had a chapel and is referred to as one of the 6 tithings of the parish of Sherborne. <4>

The medieval lynchets are visible as linear earthworks on 1970s aerial photographs and lidar imagery (DC 1972; EA 2022).

Environment Agency, 2022, LiDAR Composite Viewer - Digital Terrain Model 1m (Aerial Photograph). SDO21777.

xx-xx-1972, Dorset Council 254/229 (Aerial Photograph). SDO21837.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1951, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1950, 93 (Serial). SDO50.

<1.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 3142-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17986.

<2> Rigg, J, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comments JR, F1 JR 06-JUL-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<3> Barrett, G, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator's Comments GB, F2 GB 19-AUG-77 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<4> Good, R, 1979, Lost Villages of Dorset, 48 (Monograph). SWX1569.

<5> Historic England, National Record of the Historic Environment, 199365 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 12 2026 5:06PM