Monument record MDO45696 - Prehistoric linear boundary, Ashmore

Prehistoric linear boundary covering a total distance of 2.2 kilometres. The boundary survives in places as an earthwork comprising a ditch up to 6 metres wide and 0.5 metres deep flanked by a bank up to 9 metres wide and 0.8 metres high.

A non-defensive earthwork consisting of a bank with a ditch on the north. It is smaller than Grimm Ditch (LIN 76) but comparable to Late Bronze Age boundary banks in this part of Wessex. (A) ST 90701601 to (B) ST 90761606: Bank to S. ditch to N strong and well preserved section, tree-covered; to © ST 90831609: Spread but surveyable, under plough: to (D) ST 90941616. No trace in grass and ploughed; to € ST 91061626: Much spread under grass, bank to south, ditch to north; to (F) ST 91181633 Mainly dense and impenetrable wood; to (G) ST 91501645. A low straight bank but rendered doubtful by absence of ditch; to (H) ST 91921675 No trace. Air photographs not available; to (J) ST 91971681 Fragmentary and mutilated; to (K) ST 92141699 Well preserved, tree-covered: to (L) ST 92251703 Ditch in woodland or under grass 0.6m deep and 4m wide with bank 0.7m high and 6m wide; to (M) ST 92411717 Bank and ditch under grass; to (N) ST 92521724 Bank 0.5m high 6m wide with ditch on N, 2m wide and 0.5m deep in cleared woodland. <1>

A linear earthwork SE of Ashmore, is crossed by and is earlier than the Roman road (RR46) according to Grinsell (2) but Crawford states that it cuts through the road and is late or post-Roman. He suggests it may have defended a settlement to the south (ST 91 NW 34). <2>

ST 90721601 - ST 91071625. A dyke 480 yards long in Deadman's Coppice comprises a bank 15 feet across and 1 1/2 feet high with a ditch 16 feet across and 2 feet deep on the north west side.

ST 91931675 - ST 92531725. In Mudoak Wood the bank is 20 feet across and 2 feet high and the ditch to the north west is 25 feet across and 2 1/2 feet deep; it is clearly earlier than the agger of the Roman Road (RR46). <4>

The course of the dyke, though somewhat fragmented, can be traced from (A) ST 90721601 to (M) ST 92521724. (A) to (B) ST 90761606 strong and well preserved with the bank up to 1.2m high and a ditch 0.7m deep; to © ST 90831609; No trace; to (D) ST 90941616: No trace; to € ST 91061626: Much spread being up to 12.0m wide and only 0.4m high; to (F) ST 91181633. No trace through cleared woodland.

From (F) there are two alternative courses the noted by F1 through open ploughland to (G) ST 91501645 now shows no trace of any earthwork. The second starts in cleared woodland at (X) ST 91201630 and follows a broad hedge bank, 6.0m wide and 0.5m high to (Y) at ST 91511632 where it ends. From both (G) and (Y) to (H) ST 91921673 there is no trace of the dyke; to (J) ST 91981678: Fragmentary and mutilated; to (K) ST 92171699: Well preserved, tree-covered; to (L) ST 92251703: Ditch 0.6m deep and 4.0m wide with a bank 0.7m high, and 6.0m wide; to (M) ST 92521724: Bank 0.5m high, 6.0m wide with ditch on north, 2.0m wide and 0.5m deep. Surveyed at 1:2500 on Ams and permatrace. <5>

ST 921170. Earthworks in Mudoak Wood. Scheduled, No. 552. ST 910163. Ditch stretching for 500 yds NE from Deadmans Coppice. Scheduled, No. 554. (See illust. For scheduled areas). <1>

DOE (IAM) Record Form (Dorset 552) 25.5.60
DOE (Dorset 554) 25.5.60

ST 90881611. Linear boundary, running south west to north east across a south facing slope on Cranborne Chase. The boundary survives as an 80 metre long earthwork with a ditch and bank on the south side. The central and eastern sections have been reduced and spread by ploughing. Scheduled. (11) EH Scheduling amendment, 23-APR-2003

ST 92271705. A 700 metre length of a prehistoric linear boundary surviving as an earthwork to the southeast of Ashmore Farm. The earthwork comprises a ditch up to 6 metres wide and 0.5 metres deep, flanked on its southeast side by a bank 9 metres wide and up to 0.8 metres high. It has been truncated by the Badbury Rings-Bath Roman road (Linear 511). (12) EH Scheduling amendment, 30-APR-2003

<1> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 23-APR-1954 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<2> Pugh, R B, and Crittall, E (eds), 1957, The Victoria County History of Wiltshire, Volume 1 Pt 1 (Monograph). SDO19507.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 90721601 - ST 92531725) Ditch (NR) (Three Times)

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 3 (Monograph). SDO99.

'(16) DYKE (91931675), in Mudoak Wood, extends from S.W. to N.E. for some 900 yds. across a low spur and a dry valley, at altitudes between 500 ft. and 600 ft. above sea level; at its N.E. end it crosses the boundary with Wiltshire. This earthwork is best preserved for a distance of about 300 yds. in Mudoak Wood, where the bank is 20ft. across and 2 ft. high and the ditch, lying along the N.W. side of the bank, is 25 ft. across and 2 ft deep. A so-called 'barrow' on the line of the dyke at 92131698 is almost certainly part of the bank. Between Mudoak Wood and the country boundary the dyke has almost been destroyed by ploughing, but it is clearly earlier than the agger of the Roman road, which crosses it. At the S.W. end the earthwork has been disturbed by track.'

<5> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F2 GB 06-MAR-1978 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<6> Department of the Environment, 1978, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 2), 80 (Monograph). SWX1687.

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB69/01708 (Index). SDO14738.

SECTION ACROSS DYKE

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 209958 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 12 2024 1:13PM