Monument record MDO5255 - Settlement remains on Muston Down, Winterborne Kingston

The remains of a late prehistoric or Roman settlement on Muston Down, in the form of a complex of earthwork banks, ditches and scarps set in an extensive prehistoric field system. The complexity of the earthworks suggest several phases of development, and possibly an Iron Age origin. The settlement comprises at least two conjoined enclosures with internal pits; it was digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

SETTLEMENT (865003), prehistoric or Romano-British, on Muston Down, is marked by banks, ditches and scarps, now mostly levelled by ploughing, covering an area of some 6 acres. The settlement lies among 'Celtic' fields SY 89 NE 1 at about 250 ft. O.D., on ground that falls gently southwards from a ridge some 500 yds, to the N. The main surviving earthworks consisted of two dykes, (a) about 45 ft. across, overall, with an outer ditch, (b) about 34ft. across, overall with an inner ditch; the dykes met at an acute angle and formed the W. side of an area of 2 acres, otherwise defined on the N. by a low curved lynchet, on the E. by a further lynchet. and partly on the S. by a scarp returning from this lynchet. Dyke (a) was contemporary with 'Celtic' long fields, the lynchets of which had formed against its ditch. About 150 yds S. of this partly enclosed area, and joined to it by a narrow ditch are the remains of a curving lenght of ditch about 20 ft. across with traces of a bank on its N. side. This suggests that dyke (b) may have been part of another enclosure contemporary with 'Celtic' fields of different form. Other slight ditches visible on air photographs include traces of a rectangular enclosure, 200 ft. by 100 ft., 70 yds. S.W. of (b), and further indicate the complex development of the site. The settlement has not produced finds but early Iron Age and samian ware has been recovered from the associated 'Celtic' fields. There is a possible connection with Combs Ditch SO 80 SE 48 A line of small banks and scarps runs from the N.E. of the settlement area to join, at 86570075, a bank which projects S.E. from the angle of Combs Ditch and which is perhaps associated with an Iron Age phase of this earthwork. (plan). <2>
The settlement appears to comprise two conjoined bank and ditched enclosures, the northern of which is sub-triangular in shape and it's eastern side is formed by a long linear field boundary which continues south and north (to Combs Ditch). Several presumably associated pit features are visible within the interior of both enclosures. The features cover an area of 4 hectares within a wider field system described in MDO5274. The site was digitally recorded from aerial photographs and lidar imagery <7-8> during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1968 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 86540033) Earthwork

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

‘(22) SETTLEMENT (865003), prehistoric or Romano-British, on Muston Down, is marked by banks, ditches and scarps, now mostly levelled by ploughing, covering an area of some 6 acres. The settlement lies among ‘Celtic’ fields (Group (66), p 343) at about 250 ft. O.D., on ground that falls gently southwards from a ridge some 500 yds. to the N. The main surviving earthworks consisted of two dykes, (a) about 45 ft. across, overall, with an outer ditch, (b) about 34 ft. across, overall and with an inner ditch; the dykes met at an acute angle and formed the W. side of an area of 2 acres, otherwise defined on the N. by a low curved lynchet, on the E. by a further lynchet, and partly on the S. by a scarp returning from this lynchet. Dyke (a) was contemporary with ‘Celtic’ long fields, the lynchets of which had formed against its ditch. About 150 yds S. of this partly enclosed area, and joined to it by a narrow ditch are the remains of a curving length of ditch about 20 ft. across with traces of a bank on its N. side. This suggests that dyke (b) may have been part of another enclosure contemporary with ‘Celtic’ fields of different from. Other slight ditches visible on air photographs (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1934, 5122-3) include traces of a rectangular enclosure, 200 ft. by 100 ft., 70 yds. S.W. of (b) and further indicate the complex development of the site. The settlement has not produced finds but early Iron Age and samian ware has been recovered from the associated ‘Celtic’ fields. There is a possible connection with Combs Ditch (Winterborne Whitechurch (19)). A line of small banks and scarps runs from the N.E. of the settlement area to join, at 86570075, a bank which projects S.E. from the angle of Combs Ditch and which is perhaps associated with an Iron Age phase of this earthwork. (plans, pp. 304, 343).’

<2.1> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 5122-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17813.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 882374 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Muston Down Settlement Area, Dorset: Profile also on survey.Bibliographic References : 1) Monument lies within the above Celtic Field Gp (66).2) Pt 2, Monument (22)

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB72/03731 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF IA/RB SETTLEMENT NOW MOSTLY LEVELLED BY PLOUGHING SURROUNDED BY CELTIC FIELDS

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205671 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<7> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

<8> National Monuments Record, 18-MAY-1965, NMR 2224/223-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19480.

Record last edited

Jul 22 2024 11:23AM