Monument record MDO5251 - Ridge and furrow south of West Down Barn, Winterborne Kingston

Traces of ridge and furrow can be seen as slight earthworks on aerial photographs. These are the remains of the medieval open field system of the parish, which was largely unenclosed until 1848. This area south of West Down Barn is situated in the former 'Little Field' of the three-field system.

'(20) Cultivation Remains. The three-field system at Winterborne Kingston remained largely unenclosed until 1848 (Map and Award, D.C.R.O.; also Tithe Map 1842). The fields can now be seen only as traces of ridge-and-furrow on air photographs (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1934: 2122-3); they occur S. of West Down Barn (847976), in the former ‘Little Field’, and N. of West Down Barn (847985), in the former ‘North Field’. Projecting S.W. from the boundary of ‘Little Field; (847975) are the stubs of some strip fields that probably belong to an earlier system; they lie at right-angles to the fields that were enclosed in 1848 and perhaps indicate that the open fields were laid out anew at some period.

Little is known about the open fields of Winterborne Muston, but they certainly existed; the final exchange of intermingled lands was effected in 1774 (Map of Intermixed Lands at Muston, copy in D.C.R.O.). Slight remains of seven flat strips, 20 yds. to 25 yds. wide and at least 200 yds. long, bounded by low banks, exist N. of Muston Farm (873987).' (1)

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 303 (Monograph). SDO136.

Record last edited

Apr 4 2013 12:25PM