Monument record MDO5328 - Medieval field system, Winterborne Whitechurch

Traces of the medieval open field system of Whitechurch can be seen south of Lower Street where a small area of ridge and furrow survives, with ridges seven to nine yards wide. The date of enclosure of the open fields is not known. A small area of medieval ridge and furrow is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and was digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM

A small area of medieval ridge and furrow is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and was digitally recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM, <2>.

<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. … The strip fields of Whitechurch remain in two places: to the S. of Lower Street (841990) there is a small area of ridge-and-furrow 7 yds. to 9 yds. wide, and to the W. of West Farm (837997) are the fragmentary remains of flat strips 30 yds. to 60 yds. wide, bounded by low banks.’

<2> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 V 5121 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19882.

Record last edited

Jun 20 2023 6:21PM