Monument record MDO45355 - First World War practice trench, Tarrant Monkton

A First World War practice trench is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1947 but has subsequently been filled in. The site comprises a single narrow ditch, flanked by a narrow bank to each side, which zigzag over a distance of nearly 70m. The trench was dug at the eastern edge of Blandford Camp and is one of two situated parallel with the edge of Blackland Plantation. It was probably dug as a training exercise by the Royal Naval Division who were stationed at Blandford Camp from 1915 to 1918. The trench was still extant on aerial photographs taken in 1968 but was subsequently filled in and is visible as a faint cropmark on photographs taken in 1980.

A First World War practice trench is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1947 but has subsequently been filled in. The site is centred at ST 9327 0857 and comprises a single narrow ditch, flanked by a narrow bank to each side, which zigzag over a distance of nearly 70m between ST 9325 0854 and ST 9329 0859. The trench was dug at the eastern edge of Blandford Camp and is one of two situated parallel with the edge of Blackland Plantation (see ST 90 NW 135 / UID: 1478883).

It was probably dug as a training exercise by the Royal Naval Division who were stationed at Blandford Camp from 1915 to 1918. The trench was extant on aerial photographs taken in 1968 but was subsequently filled in and is visible as a faint cropmark on photographs taken in 1980. <1-2>

<1> Harfield, A, 1984, Blandford and the Military: including a history of Blandford Camp (Monograph). SDO19289.

<2> Bishop, Sharon, 2009, Tarrant Launceston 15 & Environs. Aerial Photograph Survey & Analysis (Unpublished document). SDO12459.

<2.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1975 4006-4007 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19286.

<2.2> 28-MAR-1968, NMR ST 9308/4 NMR 68/47 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19293.

<2.3> 10-APR-1980, NMR ST 9308/6 NMR 1744/190 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19294.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1478879 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 26 2023 2:42PM