Monument record MDO4990 - Prehistoric field system, Tarrant Hinton

(Centred ST 950119) Field system visible on air photographs. <1>

'Celtic' fields, centred ST 950120, lie on Tarrant Hinton Down and Launceston Down. Those that formerly covered much of Tarrant Hinton Down (ST 946126-ST 950111) have been levelled by ploughing and for the most part are visible only as faint traces on air photographs. On the N they adjoin and appear to be associated with the Iron Age and Romano-British settlement (ST 91 SW 26). Further S they surround and incorporate a small group of round barrows (ST 91 SW 37). Their relationship to the dyke (ST 91 SE 41) at ST 952119 is uncertain. At their southern limit the fields are clearly cut by the W end of another dyke (ST 91 SW 40). <2>

A rapid examination of air photography suggests the presence of a number of linear features, some intersecting with each other, and a pit alignment also connecting; all apparently aligned with the field system. <3>

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

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 119 (Monograph). SDO99.

'Group (74): Tarrant Hinton Down and Launceston Down (Tarrant Hinton, Tarrant Launceston). 'Celtic' fields formerly covered much of Tarrant Hinton down in the N.E. of that parish (946126-950111), but they have been levelled by ploughing and for the most part are visible only as faint traces on air photographs. On the N. they adjoin and appear to be associated with an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement, Tarrant Hinton (19). Further S. they surround and incorporate a small group of round barrows, Tarrant Hinton (46-50); their relationship to the dyke (952119) extending W. from Long Crichel is uncertain. At their S. limit the fields are clearly cut by the W. end of another dyke Tarrant Launceston (16, a). Air photographs: CPE/UK 1845: 4149-50; 6059-61; F22/58/1090: 0094-5; CPE/UK 1934: 2150-1; HSL/UK/62/263: 2589; C.U.A.P. AMO 9, 10. Remains of 'Celtic fields on the S. of Hyde Hill Plantation in Tarrant Launceston form part of a Group which lies mainly in Long Crichel; they are, therefore, reserved for treatment in Dorset V.'

<3> Miller, Andrew, 1993, RCHME: AP Primary Recording Project (Unpublished document). SWX1708.

<3.1> National Monuments Record, NMR 4349: 32-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19378.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 210217 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 25 2023 10:19AM