Monument record MDO4727 - Prehistoric field system, Spetisbury

An extensive prehistoric field system visible mostly as crop and soil marks, and surviving as slight earthworks in places. It is most visible on Charlton Down between Combs Ditch and around Bottom Plantation, Sparrowbush Farm, and Thornicombe. The site forms part of a wider field system described in MDO45687 and was digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

(Centred at ST 881015) Field systems plotted from air photographs. <1>

An extensive field system mainly under grass and stubble. The field banks are poorly defined, but the lynchets are pronounced, varying from 0.3 to 2.5m high, according to the steepness of the ground.

The system is of the Iron Age/Romano-British type, but both from ground and air photograph observation it is difficult to decide whether the system is earlier or later than Combs Ditch. <2>

Area ST 885012. Crop-marks showing possible remains of several single-ditched enclosures. <4>

The site forms part of a wider field system described in MDO45687 and was digitally plotted from aerial photographs and lidar imagery <10-11> during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

<1> Atkinson, R J C, 1949, spec 6 inch (RJCA 1.3.49), 1.3.49 (Map). SWX1583.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 10-NOV-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1968 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 885012) Field System (NR)

<4> Boyden, J R, 4-MAR-1973, Boyden Flight 64 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17713.

<5> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 345 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘GROUP (67): CHARLTON DOWN AND THORNCOMBE (Charlton Marshall and Spetisbury). ‘Celtic’ fields, now mostly destroyed on the ground and only recognisable as a pattern rather than individual fields, can be detected in two main areas which were almost certainly linked: (i) on Charlton Down between Combs Ditch, ST 870008, and points E. of Bottom Plantation, 890008, and S.E. of Sparrowbush Farm, 880030; (ii) W.-E. across Thorncombe around a line from 862026 to 874029, W. of Sparrowbush Farm. All are on gently rolling Chalk, pierced by narrow valleys from the E., between about 180 ft. and 400 ft. O.D.
Area (i) is virtually continuous over some 250 acres, air photographs indicating squarish or oblong fields with original sides frequently 40 yds. to 60 yds. long (CPE/UK 1934: 1135-8 and 3125-7; F.22 58/RAF/1212: 0046-8). Area (ii), totalling at least 80 acres, includes some unusual features (see also p.321). To the S. of Red Barn Farm at 877027 is an incomplete but sharply rectangular pattern of fields with notably straight sides at least 130 yds. long and 25 yds. to 40 yds. wide (CPE/UK 1934: 1094-5). About ½ mile N.E., a block of parallel strip features (a) occurs, with probable ditches or furrows 10 yds. to 15 yds. apart, within an enclosed area having sides with rounded angles. Like the comparable blocks in Groups (38) and (64) it now is visible only on air photographs. Air photographs: F.21 58/RAF/1090: 00083-4.’

<5.1> Royal Air Force, F21 58/RAF/1090: 0083-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19433.

<6> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/096 RCHME Inventory: Dorset III (Central) (Unpublished document). SDO17384.

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 883077 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Rectangular `Celtic' Fields, Blandford St Mary, Charlton Marshall, Dorset. Publication proof, scored on acetate, `306' written in pencil above the site details. Inscription: Sharply Rectangular Celtic Fields and Contemporary Enclosed Block Of Strip Features (a) Part Of Group 67 And Nearby Ditched Features (39)Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 2, Group (67) Area (ii).

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 883242 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Parcels of Enclosed Strip Features, Gps (38),(64),(67), Dorset. Publication proof, on acetate, `307' in pencil next to the site details. Three separate illustrations from the phs mentioned. Inscription: Parcels of enclosed strip features C.F Gps 38, 64, 67.Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 2.2) Pt 2, Gp (38)

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205691 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 13-SEP-1982, OS/82203 V 73 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18084.

<11> Royal Air Force, 18-FEB-1970, RAF/58/0254 V1 158 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19501.

Record last edited

Feb 22 2023 2:35PM