Monument record MDO5327 - Medieval field system, Winterborne Whitechurch

Traces of the medieval open field system of La Lee can be seen in Whatcombe Park, in the form of around 30 acres of narrow ridge and furrow. The earthworks lie over, and partly obliterate, ridge and furrow five to seven yards wide. The date of enclosure of the fields is not known. Parallel cultivation marks on medieval or post medival date are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1947 and as very low earthworks on lidar imagery. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

Parallel cultivation marks on medieval or post medival date are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1947 and lidar imagery within Whatcombe Park <2-3>. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 313 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(18) CULTIVATION REMAINS. The date of the enclosure of the three open field systems in the parish is unknown. … Strip fields of La Lee formerly existed in two places. In Whatcombe Park (839013) some 30 acres of narrow-rig lay over, and partially obliterated, ridge-and-furrow 5 yds. to 7 yds. wide (R.A.F., CPE/UK 1934: 3118-9).’

<2> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 FP 1140 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19773.

<3> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

Record last edited

Apr 25 2023 12:00PM