Monument record MDO44557 - Possible late prehistoric/Roman field system, Tarrant Launceston

Linear banked features associated with a possible late prehistoric or Roman field system are visible as cropmarks and earthworks to the northeast of Blandford Camp, Tarrant Launceston, on aerial photographs and Environment Agency lidar imagery. The features are also recorded under NRHE Hob UID 1481007. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

A Later Prehistoric and / or Roman field system, of the form often referred to as a "Celtic" field system, is visible as soilmarks and parchmarks on aerial photographs. The site is centred at ST 9311 0897 and comprises assorted linear banks and some flanking ditches that appear to form a pattern of conjoined but mostly fragmentary rectangular enclosures, which are probably fields.

The field system extends over an area that measures a maximum of 475m long by 240m wide and is orientated south-west / north-east. The banks and ditches appear to define long rectangular fields most of which are orientated WNW / ESE and measure between 40m and 50m wide.

The fields share the WNW / ESE orientation of similar systems identified in the area which may once have joined together into a single field system (see ST 90 NW 156 & 158 / UIDs: 1480979 & 1480998). <1>

Linear banked features associated with a possible late prehistoric or Roman field system are visible as cropmarks and earthworks to the northeast of Blandford Camp, Tarrant Launceston, on aerial photographs and Environment Agency lidar imagery <2-3>. The features are also recorded under NRHE Hob UID 1481007. An area of Romano-British settlement is located a short distance to the west, with further features of possible late prehistoric to Roman date to the northeast. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

<1> Bishop, Sharon, 2009, Tarrant Launceston 15 & Environs. Aerial Photograph Survey & Analysis (Unpublished document). SDO12459.

<1.1> Boyden, J R, 25-MAR-1970, NMR ST 9309/5 JRB 9724/ORACLEF15 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19271.

<1.2> National Monuments Record, 08-JUL-1976, NMR ST 9309/10 JRB 3306/7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18465.

<1.3> National Monuments Record, 05-SEP-1995, NMR ST 9309/16 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18486.

<2> Professor P J Jones, 01-APR-1966, PJF 11361/ORACLE15 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18696.

<3> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1481007 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 26 2023 10:52AM