Monument record MDO4878 - 'Satan's Square', Sutton Waldron

Small, nearly square enclosure defined by a low bank and internal ditch. No entrance is visible. Of unknown date and function. The earthwork is called ‘Satan’s Square’. In the 18th century it was known as ‘The Devil’s Trencher and Spoon’. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

ST 87691609 Enclosure of unknown date. It is nearly square and has sides 35 yards long, each with a low bank and a shallow internal ditch. No entrance is visible. The interior is featureless, apart from a probably recent disturbance at the lower west end, which appears partly to have destroyed a platform cut into the slope. The earthwork is called 'Satan's Square' but in the 18th century it was known as 'The Devil's Trencher and Spoon'. <1-2>

Situated on the steep north west slope of a north east-south west combe it is slightly terraced (0.4m) into the hillslope on the up-hill south east side and raised up to 1.7m on the north west downslope side. The name 'Satan's Square' remains in local usage. Visible on OS air photographs <2>.

Divorced Survey at 1:2500 on OS 495. <3>

The weak surrounding ditch appears simply to represent a drainage channel enclosing a small building platform constructed on a steep combe slope. A now denuded and scrub covered earthen boundary bank which seems nearly parallel to the ditch on its south west side appears to be of contemporary construction. The non-defensive situation and generally weak constructional features suggest the platform and enclosing ditch to be of probably Late Medieval/Post Medieval date. <4>

Ordnance Survey, 28.8.75, OS 75/371 110-111 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17863.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 86 (Monograph). SDO99.

‘(7) ENCLOSURE (876161), on the steep S.E. declivity of Combe Bottom, about 500 ft. above sea-level, is nearly square and has sides 35 yds. Long, each with a low bank and a shallow internal ditch. No entrance is visible. The interior is featureless, apart from disturbance, probably recent, at the lower, W. end, which appears partly to have destroyed a platform cut into the slope. The earthwork is called ‘Satan’s Square’; in the 18th century it was called ‘The Devil’s Trencher and Spoon’ (Map by I. Taylor, 1765-7, photo-copy in D.C.R.O.).’

<3> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F1 GB 29-MAR-78 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<4> Stone, J W, Field Investigators Comments JWS, F2 JWS 14-APR-78 (Unpublished document). SDO11902.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205925 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 21 2022 2:49PM