Monument record MDO45510 - Field boundary, Gussage St Michael

An earthwork bank and ditch of relatively recent origin located close to the southwestern terminal of the Dorset Cursus. Located between two long barrows, it runs northwest-southeast for some 60 metres before turning southwest for a further 25 metres. The accompanying ditch is on the southwest side of the longer stretch and on the southeast side of the latter. Ordnance Survey field investigation in 1954 recorded average dimensions, the bank being circa 3.5 metres wide and 0.3 metres high, the ditch being up to 2 metres wide and 1.6 metres deep. At its northwestern end, the earthwork terminates at the ditch of the long barrow MDO5612. It is interpreted as the ploughed down remains of a field boundary.

[ST 97091233] A reversed-L-shaped bank and ditch on a ridge, and weak. It runs NW to SE for 60.0m then turns to the SW for 25.0m. Before the turn the ditch is to the SW., or inside, of the bank, and after the turn it is on the SE., or outer, side of the bank. In the NW the bank and ditch terminate at - perhaps here destroyed by - the ditch of a long barrow. Were it not for this fact the feature might be dismissed as a fairly modern destroyed field boundary. Average measurements:- bank 3.5m. wide, and 0.3m. high, ditch 2.0m. wide, and 0.2m. deep. In the NE.-SW. portion the ditch is 1.6m wide, and 0.2m deep. <1>

In spite of the earthwork's NW. termination at the ditch of the long barrow, it seems to be a destroyed field boundary bank, and a doubtful antiquity. <2>

At its northwestern end, the earthwork terminates at the ditch of the long barrow ST 91 SE 21. It is interpreted as the ploughed down remains of a field boundary. This interpretation presumably accounts for its absence from the RCHME Dorset inventory and plans <3>, and also from Barrett et al (1991) <4>.

<1> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 03-APR-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 23-JUN-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East) (Monograph). SDO129.

<4> Barrett, J, Bradley, R and Green, M, 1991, Landscape, Monuments and Society: the prehistory of Cranborne Chase (Monograph). SDO16633.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 210032 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2023 10:18AM