Monument record MDO4453 - Shrunken medieval settlement of Hewish, Milton Abbas

The medieval settlement of Hewish, partly visible as earthworks of closes and house platforms on both sides of the Milborne Brook. It consists of eight to ten closes on the west side of the Brook, and at least six on the east. Flint rubble and cob have been observed on the surface of some of the house platforms, and the finding of large quantities of pottery fragments of 12th to 14th-century date has been reported.

806002-807996 SETTLEMENT REMAINS, formerly part of Hewish, lie S. of Hewish Farm. The earthworks are now almost destroyed by ploughing but they represent an extensive occupation area of some 9 acres, on both sides of the Milborne Brook. Nothing is known of the history of the settlement. Before ploughing, eight or ten closes, 20 yds. to 30 yds. wide and 35yds. to 70yds long lay W. of the stream, and at least six closes lay to the E. Some of the banks and scarps bounding the closes remain up to 2 ft. high, and former building platforms can be recognised in areas of flint rubble and disintegrated cob. Large quantities of pottery of the 12-14th centuries have been picked up on the site. <1-3>

here is now little evidence of the former closes in this area beyond one or two rounded amorphous scarps. The fields are in pasture and have been extensively ploughed in recent years.<4>

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 199 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(22) SETTLEMENT REMAINS, formerly part of Hewish, lie S. of Hewish Farm (806002-807996). The earthworks are now almost destroyed by ploughing but they represent an extensive occupation area of some 9 acres, on both sides of the Milborne Brook. Like Bagber (21) nothing is known of the history of the settlement. Before ploughing, eight or ten closes, 20 yds. to 30 yds. wide and 35 yds. to 70 yds. long. lay W. of the stream, and at least six closes lay to the E. (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1934: 5113). Some of the banks and scarps bounding the closes remain up to 2 ft. high, and former building platforms can be recognised in areas of flint rubble and disintegrated cob. Large quantities of pottery of the 12th-14th centuries have been picked up on the site.’

<2> Taylor, Christopher C, 1970, The making of the English landscape: Dorset, 116-7 (Monograph). SWX1082.

<3> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 5113-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17846.

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 02-JUN-81 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1994, Medieval Village Research Group Index, PRN 507 (Index). SDO16386.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205818 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 16 2024 4:36PM