Monument record MDO4470 - Prehistoric field system on Green Down, Milton Abbas

Prehistoric fields on Green Down, part of an extensive field system. Summary from record MDO43426: A Celtic field system and trackways extending from Great Hill to Winterborne Houghton are visible as cropmarks.

Description from record MDO43426:
Centred at ST 80400450 - An extensive but elongated field system visible on AP. <4.1-4.2>

This consists of generally pronounced field banks and lynchets which extend from Great Hill to Winterborne Houghton, and are now confined to the comparatively steep sided valleys. It is reasonable to assume, that the systems, which is of IA.RB type, is associated with the settlement. The description 'Earthworks' on the OS 6" 1902 is erroneous and applies to pronounced lynchets NW and SE of Bully Plantation. <4>

(Centred ST 802044) Group 53. Meriden Down, Houghton South Down and Green Down: 'Celtic' fields, some of them exceptionally well-preserved, lie within 200 acres between Crincombe and Delcombe Bottoms, ST 791051 - ST 800035, on the west, and a line from near Higher Houghton Farm. ST 810046, to Houghton South Down, ST 811037, on the east.

Two settlements with well-marked contemporary roads occur south of Meriden Wood (ST 80 SW 74) and at Bully Wood (ST 80 SW 71). A possible third settlement lies half mile further SE (ST 80 SW 76). The alignment of the fields in the north of the group, from NW to SE, suggests a connection between Meriden and Green Down, but no fields are traceable in Blagdon Copse. The road SE from settlement (ST 80 SW 74) was built along the edge of fields whose lynchets were already well developed, and part of the settlement was built out over previous fields to the south. In settlement (ST 80 SW 71) the south ditch of the partial enclosure north of barrow (ST 80 SE 2) cuts into and runs along a 'Celtic' field lynchet.

Lynchets on Green Down are frequently up to 6ft high and some reach a height of 20ft (at ST 79530471, for example), having a slope 50ft long from top to bottom. The field slopes here are up to 8 degrees, elsewhere up to 22 degrees, and sizes of fields vary from half acre to 1 acre. The most attenuated is 125yds by 30yds. About ST 79940390 scarps in a disturbed area are only 18yds to 24yds apart.

The roads through the fields around settlement (ST 80 SW 74) are marked on the flat by low banks, and on slopes by lynchets which may have banks built on them. The tracks are from 10 to 24ft wide. The road east from settlement (ST 80 SW 71) is 11ft wide, and is similarly embanked or lyncheted. <5-6>

ST796044. Field system on Green Down; Scheduled. <7>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1902 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 80400408 and ST 80870364) Earthworks

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 337-339 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘Group (53): Meriden Down, Houghton South Down and Green Down (Winterborne Houghton and Milton Abbas. Plans, opp. pp. 298, 299, 336, 338; Plate 88). 'Celtic' fields, some of them exceptionally well-preserved, lie within 200 acres between Crincombe and Delcombe Bottoms (ST 791051–800035) on the W., and a line from near (Higher) Houghton Farm (810046) to Houghton South Down (811037) on the E. There are very faint traces indicating former extension E. along South Down into Winterborne Stickland (824043). A further 20 acres of almost flattened fields N. of Milton Abbas village (804019–807023), ½ mile S.E. of Crincombe, are treated as an outlier of the group. There are suggestions on air photographs that these fields continued S. of the village on to Luccombe Hill (CPE/UK 1934: 1144 and 3113). Almost all are between 500 ft. and 750 ft. O.D., on Upper Chalk and some Clay-with-flints, along the W. side of a ridge and on the spurs E. from it. The ridge top is capped by Clay-with-flints and has a number of ponds.
There are two certain settlements, S. of Meriden Wood (Winterborne Houghton (9)), and by Bully Wood (10), ½ mile S. Both settlements are associated with well-marked contemporary roads. A possible third settlement, (a), lies ½ mile further S.E. Some platforms, (b) and (c), on Green Down, are of uncertain date and purpose, as are a nearby mound (d) and some banks and mounds, other than barrows (16)–(18), on Houghton South Down. Dyke Milton Abbas (27), on a spur N. of the village, is partly built on a 'Celtic' field lynchet.
The alignment of the fields in the N. of the group is generally N.E. to S.W.; this suggests a connection between Meriden and Green Down. Although in the intervening area there are no fields traceable in Blagdon Copse, incomplete fields preserved along its W. edge once ran into it and there are faint remains on Clay-with-flints towards the N.W. tip of Park Wood. Nothing survives to indicate any boundary between the fields of settlements (9) and (10). The lie of their roads E. suggests that they led to water in the Winterbourne below (cf. tracks to Lyscombe Bottom in Group (44)). The road S.E. from (9) was built along the edge of 'Celtic' fields whose lynchets were already well developed. Part of the settlement was also built out on to previous fields in its S. parts, and in settlement (10) the S. ditch of the partial enclosure N. of barrow (20), itself almost certainly at a former 'Celtic' field angle, cuts into and runs along a 'Celtic' field lynchet. The close proximity and easy intervisibility of the two settlements is emphasised on Plate 88, which shows the massive lynchets, frequently over 10 ft. high, just S. of (9).
Lynchets on Green Down are of comparable proportions; they are frequently 6 ft. high and some of them reach a height of 20 ft. (e.g. at 79530471), having a slope 50 ft. long from top to bottom. The field slopes here are up to 8°, elsewhere up to 22°. Sizes of complete fields vary from ½ acre to 1 acre. At least two fields of this larger size, N. of Green Down, seem to have been formed by the joining together of smaller fields. The most attenuated is 125 yds. by 30 yds. About 79940390, scarps in a disturbed area are only 18 yds. to 24 yds. apart; their E. ends are destroyed in Blagdon Copse. One small lyncheted plot immediately S.E. of the nucleus of settlement (9) was probably a garden.
The roads through the fields around (9) are now marked on the flat by low banks (road b), and on slopes by lynchets which may have banks built on them (road a), (plan opp. p. 300). The tracks are from 10 ft. to 24 ft. wide. The road E. from settlement (10) is 12 ft. wide and is similarly embanked or lyncheted.

Group (53). Feature (a) and associated earthworks on Houghton South Down
There has been extensive disturbance over parts of the group. On Green Down the 'shelf' (b), 40 ft. by 10 ft., above a 'Celtic' field lynchet, and the terrace (c), 150 ft. long, 20 ft. wide at the N. and 40 ft. wide at the S., could result from secondary activity, as could the irregular mound (d), 60 ft. across and 3 ft. high, which projects W. of an apparent 'Celtic' field angle. Feature (a) embodies, on almost flat ground, a quarter circle defined by short straight stretches of scarp and suggests the former existence of a roughly circular enclosure of about 4 acres, possibly of the early Iron Age. The bounding scarp, without any sign of a flanking ditch, is about 4 ft. high in the N., where for a length of over 300 ft. its face has been dug for flints. In the N.W. it has been interrupted by a quarry pit, which could be on the site of an entrance. The E. side of (a) is marked by low parallel banks, each 12 ft. across, divided by an uneven sinking which may indicate robbing of a former single bank. Subdivisions of the interior might mark occupation or conversion into fields, themselves largely destroyed. A mound 120 ft. long, jutting N. from the modern hedge, increases in height from 1 ft. to 3 ft. at the N. end (plan, p. 338). East of (a), the long curving scarp which runs N. and N.E. from Mint Pit is flanked by a later track on the W., and on the E. it falls 2½ ft. to 4½ ft. to remains of 'Celtic' fields which probably are contemporary with it. These fields are partly overlain by later ridge-and-furrow. The pond is relatively recent. The long bank, 12 ft. across and up to 2 ft. high, W. and N. of (a), is variously scarped on both sides, probably by cultivation. It makes slight angular deviations in its course and has low scarps butting against it on both sides, presumably 'Celtic' fields which have subsequently been almost flattened. About 230 yds. W. of (a), at 806037, on a gentle N.-falling slope, are remains of a slight bank (? enclosure, date unknown) with outer ditch forming an angle of 80°, with sides about 180 ft. by 80 ft.; it lies immediately E. of the small mounds Winterborne Houghton (13–15). The track still visibly skirting this area was shown on O.S. 1811 as a road linking Winterborne Houghton to the ridgeway. Dyke (11), 100 yds. further N.W., is probably contemporary with the 'Celtic' fields.
Air photographs: CPE/UK 1975: 1026–9 (S. of area) and 1974: 5169–73 (N. of area and Winterborne Stickland).’

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 337-339 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘Group (53): Meriden Down, Houghton South Down and Green Down (Winterborne Houghton and Milton Abbas. Plans, opp. pp. 298, 299, 336, 338; Plate 88). 'Celtic' fields, some of them exceptionally well-preserved, lie within 200 acres between Crincombe and Delcombe Bottoms (ST 791051–800035) on the W., and a line from near (Higher) Houghton Farm (810046) to Houghton South Down (811037) on the E. There are very faint traces indicating former extension E. along South Down into Winterborne Stickland (824043). A further 20 acres of almost flattened fields N. of Milton Abbas village (804019–807023), ½ mile S.E. of Crincombe, are treated as an outlier of the group. There are suggestions on air photographs that these fields continued S. of the village on to Luccombe Hill (CPE/UK 1934: 1144 and 3113). Almost all are between 500 ft. and 750 ft. O.D., on Upper Chalk and some Clay-with-flints, along the W. side of a ridge and on the spurs E. from it. The ridge top is capped by Clay-with-flints and has a number of ponds.
There are two certain settlements, S. of Meriden Wood (Winterborne Houghton (9)), and by Bully Wood (10), ½ mile S. Both settlements are associated with well-marked contemporary roads. A possible third settlement, (a), lies ½ mile further S.E. Some platforms, (b) and (c), on Green Down, are of uncertain date and purpose, as are a nearby mound (d) and some banks and mounds, other than barrows (16)–(18), on Houghton South Down. Dyke Milton Abbas (27), on a spur N. of the village, is partly built on a 'Celtic' field lynchet.
The alignment of the fields in the N. of the group is generally N.E. to S.W.; this suggests a connection between Meriden and Green Down. Although in the intervening area there are no fields traceable in Blagdon Copse, incomplete fields preserved along its W. edge once ran into it and there are faint remains on Clay-with-flints towards the N.W. tip of Park Wood. Nothing survives to indicate any boundary between the fields of settlements (9) and (10). The lie of their roads E. suggests that they led to water in the Winterbourne below (cf. tracks to Lyscombe Bottom in Group (44)). The road S.E. from (9) was built along the edge of 'Celtic' fields whose lynchets were already well developed. Part of the settlement was also built out on to previous fields in its S. parts, and in settlement (10) the S. ditch of the partial enclosure N. of barrow (20), itself almost certainly at a former 'Celtic' field angle, cuts into and runs along a 'Celtic' field lynchet. The close proximity and easy intervisibility of the two settlements is emphasised on Plate 88, which shows the massive lynchets, frequently over 10 ft. high, just S. of (9).
Lynchets on Green Down are of comparable proportions; they are frequently 6 ft. high and some of them reach a height of 20 ft. (e.g. at 79530471), having a slope 50 ft. long from top to bottom. The field slopes here are up to 8°, elsewhere up to 22°. Sizes of complete fields vary from ½ acre to 1 acre. At least two fields of this larger size, N. of Green Down, seem to have been formed by the joining together of smaller fields. The most attenuated is 125 yds. by 30 yds. About 79940390, scarps in a disturbed area are only 18 yds. to 24 yds. apart; their E. ends are destroyed in Blagdon Copse. One small lyncheted plot immediately S.E. of the nucleus of settlement (9) was probably a garden.
The roads through the fields around (9) are now marked on the flat by low banks (road b), and on slopes by lynchets which may have banks built on them (road a), (plan opp. p. 300). The tracks are from 10 ft. to 24 ft. wide. The road E. from settlement (10) is 12 ft. wide and is similarly embanked or lyncheted.

Group (53). Feature (a) and associated earthworks on Houghton South Down
There has been extensive disturbance over parts of the group. On Green Down the 'shelf' (b), 40 ft. by 10 ft., above a 'Celtic' field lynchet, and the terrace (c), 150 ft. long, 20 ft. wide at the N. and 40 ft. wide at the S., could result from secondary activity, as could the irregular mound (d), 60 ft. across and 3 ft. high, which projects W. of an apparent 'Celtic' field angle. Feature (a) embodies, on almost flat ground, a quarter circle defined by short straight stretches of scarp and suggests the former existence of a roughly circular enclosure of about 4 acres, possibly of the early Iron Age. The bounding scarp, without any sign of a flanking ditch, is about 4 ft. high in the N., where for a length of over 300 ft. its face has been dug for flints. In the N.W. it has been interrupted by a quarry pit, which could be on the site of an entrance. The E. side of (a) is marked by low parallel banks, each 12 ft. across, divided by an uneven sinking which may indicate robbing of a former single bank. Subdivisions of the interior might mark occupation or conversion into fields, themselves largely destroyed. A mound 120 ft. long, jutting N. from the modern hedge, increases in height from 1 ft. to 3 ft. at the N. end (plan, p. 338). East of (a), the long curving scarp which runs N. and N.E. from Mint Pit is flanked by a later track on the W., and on the E. it falls 2½ ft. to 4½ ft. to remains of 'Celtic' fields which probably are contemporary with it. These fields are partly overlain by later ridge-and-furrow. The pond is relatively recent. The long bank, 12 ft. across and up to 2 ft. high, W. and N. of (a), is variously scarped on both sides, probably by cultivation. It makes slight angular deviations in its course and has low scarps butting against it on both sides, presumably 'Celtic' fields which have subsequently been almost flattened. About 230 yds. W. of (a), at 806037, on a gentle N.-falling slope, are remains of a slight bank (? enclosure, date unknown) with outer ditch forming an angle of 80°, with sides about 180 ft. by 80 ft.; it lies immediately E. of the small mounds Winterborne Houghton (13–15). The track still visibly skirting this area was shown on O.S. 1811 as a road linking Winterborne Houghton to the ridgeway. Dyke (11), 100 yds. further N.W., is probably contemporary with the 'Celtic' fields.
Air photographs: CPE/UK 1975: 1026–9 (S. of area) and 1974: 5169–73 (N. of area and Winterborne Stickland).’

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 1 Inch to 1 mile, 1945 (Map). SDO17506.

(Name centred ST 806041) Celtic Fields

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

(Centred ST 806040) Field systems.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 23-AUG-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<4.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1975 1028-9, 1028 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17653.

<4.2> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 3335-38 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17658.

<5> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 336 (Monograph). SDO136.

<6> Royal Air Force, 1934, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 1082-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17507.

<6.1> Royal Air Force, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 1083-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17657.

<7> DOE, 1978, Scheduled Monument Notification DOE (IAM) AMs Eng 2 1978, 77 (Scheduling record). SDO17448.

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 881817 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME. Settlement North of Bully Wood, Dorset: Copies of this exist. Bibliographic References : 1) Celtic Field Gp (53)2) Pt 2, Monument (10)

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 882576 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME. Settlement North of Bully Wood, Dorset: Discoloured tracing.Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 2, monument (10) Tracing from an original2) Celtic Field Gp (53).

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 883255 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME. Meriden and Adjacent Areas Settlement Remains and `Celtic' Fields, Dorset: Publication proof, on acetate, `310' written in pencil next to the site details. Torn at edge and taped. 53 also written on the site details in pencil. Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 2, Gp (53).

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/03968 (Index). SDO14738.

MAP SHOWING CELTIC FIELD GROUPS

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/04000 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF FIELD SYSTEM ASSOC. WITH RB SETTLEMENT (ST 80 SW 71)

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB74/04509 (Index). SDO14738.

CELTIC FIELDS SOUTH OF WINTERBORNE HOUGHTON

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB76/07705 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF EXTENSIVE AND ELONGATED FIELD SYSTEM (CELTIC)

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB76/07706 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF EXTENSIVE AND ELONGATED FIELD SYSTEM

<16> Historic England, Historic England Archive, ORD01/01 (Index). SDO14738.

Ordnance Survey. Portfolios: 73 folios with a wide range of material, from original surveys to copies of old maps, acquired from the Ordnance Survey in 1983. Listed and rehoused 1992-93. Includes prints taken in 1995 of Stonehenge and Clausentum plans. Folio numbers: AO 1 - AO 2308.

<17> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS55/F207/6 (Index). SDO14738.

CELTIC FIELDS AND TRACKWAYS AT WINTERBOURNE HOUGHTON. ENCLOSURE AT ST80150496 FROM THE SOUTH.

<18> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS55/F207/7 (Index). SDO14738.

CELTIC FIELDS AND TRACKWAYS AT WINTERBOURNE HOUGHTON. ENCLOSURE AT 80150496 FROM THE SOUTH.

<19> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS55/F207/8 (Index). SDO14738.

CELTIC FIELDS AND TRACKWAYS AT WINTERBOURNE HOUGHTON. HUT CI RCLE AT ST80200495 FROM THE NORTH.

<20> Historic England, Historic England Archive, RCH01/096 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME Inventory. Dorset III (Central): A large collection of archive relating to the RCHME Dorset Inventory Volume III, published in 1970. It contains field surveys and excavation archive. Parish files containing original surveys have been given child collection status.

<21> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205720 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 3 2025 12:52PM