Monument record MDO5307 - Prehistoric field system, Winterborne Stickland

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 339 (Monograph). SDO136.

'GROUP (54): IBBERTON, STURMINSTER [sic OKEFORD] AND WOOLLAND. 'Celtic' fields, now largely destroyed, are traceable over some 70 acres in the E. half of Ibberton and, N., in the nearer parts of Sturminster [sic Okeford] on Bell Hill (ST 797082), and in Woolland on Woolland Hill to 774061. Most of the fields lay between 400 ft. and 800 ft. O.D., on Chalk and Clay-with-flints. There has been considerable disturbance by ploughing in the past. Strip lynchets in Coombe Bottom (Ibberton (10)), themselves over-ploughed, probably impinging on settlement Ibberton (11) and associated 'Celtic' fields. Strip lynchets apparently also lie over 'Cletic' fields on Ibberton Hill at 791072.

The pattern was clearer on South Down from 795064 in the S.W. to just E. of settlement (11) at 807069. Lynchets on the rounded top of the spur were up to 4 ft. high and those on the steep slopes to the S. were up to 15 ft. high. Field sizes were from ¼ acre to 1¼ acres. Air photographs show a stretch of track running between 'Celtic' fields along the shoulder S. of the settlement (CPE/UK 1934: 2170-1). It was continued E. by a long lynchet which was joined by curving scarps to the small enclosure at 80660691, probably part of the settlement. Fields continued in all directions and there are faint indications of a connection with further broken remains in Winterborne Stickland, E. of Sticland Wood (820068) (CPE/UK 1974: 1173-4).

There is no direct relationship to dykes, although a few isolated and disturbed 'Celtic' fields lay N.W. of Woolland (7), N. of Bulbarrow (CPE/UK 1934: 2175), and lynchets lie parallel to, and N. of, Ibberton (13) on Bell Hill.

Other air photographs: CPE/UK 1975: 2025-7 (South Down).'

Record last edited

Jun 10 2021 9:45AM