Monument record MDO6463 - Linear ditches from Knoll Hill to South Circle, Woodlands

Linear ditches visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. The multi-ditched linear was digitally plotted during the Dorset Stour NMP. It runs from just NW of Bagmans Copse for 820m in a northwesterly direction to the south circle of Knowlton Rings. It appears to be cut by the B3078 and then heads westwards for a further 500m before veering SW. It is generally defined by two parallel ditches but in places up to four are visible. It is presumed to be of prehistoric origin although a medieval date is possible, it was digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

"On approaching this spot (Knowlton) from Horton Inn, and near the Farm House called New Barn, the first object to which attention should be directed, is a strong well formed vallum on the west side of the turnpike road, running at right angles with it for the distance of three hundred and twelve paces in a direct line from eastto south west to the meadows bordering the river Allen." <1>

It is postulated that this lane was once known as the `Muledich' or Milditch, taking its name from Matterley Mill which once lay at its Eastern end, and that the `ditch' formed part of the Southern Outbounds of Cranborne Chase. It is further suggested that the earthwork breasting the North side is `a part of the Knowlton complex' (See SU 01 SW 44). <2>

This appears to be a disused green road leading from the modern road on the east to marshland on the west. It is elevated on the north or downhill side to a maximum of 1.8 metres, and on the north side has carried a slight field bank, traces of which remain to the north of the hedge and field bank shown on OS 6" 1902. <3>

A broad hollow-way, probably Medieval or later, runs west from around SU 02400987 to the flood plain of the River Allen. Eastwards its line is continued by two parallel ditches. Linear ditches, ploughed out but visible on air photographs run for nearly 1000 yards from SU 03050935 to SU 02400987, beside the Cranborne-Wimborne road. Two almost parallel ditches, 20 feet to 30 feet apart, follow a sinuous course across a gentle west slope of the chalk. Their line is continued westward by a hollow-way, but whether there is any connection between it and the ditches has not been established. <5>

The site has been visited by MPPA, but not recommended for scheduling on the grounds that it is little understood, possibly incomplete (it may be one of a pair of linear features), and is of uncertain date. Ground photo with archive report. These ditches were examined by MPPA with a view to scheduling. The feature is not understood, is undated, and has been reduced by ploughing. It is not recommended for scheduling. <6>

A rapid examination of air photography suggests that the ditches change course abruptly, to run beside the course of the hollow way. Eventually, they disappear into the wood/scrub east of SU 00 NW 70. <7>

SU 0204 0976. A linear ditch, probably representing a Prehistoric or Roman field boundary, is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs, and has been mapped by English Heritage's Knowlton Circles Project. The single straight ditch is about 233m long. <8>

SU 0176 0972 - SU 0240 0986 - SU 0308 0931. The green road or trackway described is visible, partly as an earthwork but mainly as a cropmark, on aerial photographs <8-13>, and has been mapped by EH's Knowlton Circles Project. It is 1580.5m long, extending from Bagman's Copse in the east towards the River Allen in the west with a slight change of alignment immediately to the south of Knowlton South henge. The eastern half of the trackway was originally recorded as a separate feature (SU 00 NW 29), but aerial photographic evidence indicates a single feature whose eastern ditches cross the modern road to continue alongside the western hollow way.

The ditches described have been mapped from aerial photographs by EH's Knowlton Circles Project. They are 932m long, following a slightly sinuous course from Bagman's Copse to a point just south of Knowlton South henge. Aerial photographic evidence indicates that these ditches are a continuation of a more substantial trackway to the west (see comment by authority 2 above), described as SU 00 NW 1. These ditches are now included in that record.

The medieval date suggested by authority <2> and <5> appears to be based on the identification of this feature as part of the bounds of Cranborne Chase. However, its use as a landmark in defining the Chase may indicate an earlier date, as Medieval boundaries were sometimes laid out along Prehistoric earthworks. The presence of a field system just to the south (SU 00 NW 95), and additional linear features on a similar alignment to north (SU 00 NW 105, SU 00 NW 106) and south (SU 00 NW 101), suggests that the trackway could have Prehistoric or Roman origins. <17>

The multi-ditched linear was digitally plotted during the Dorset Stour NMP. It runs from just NW of Bagmans Copse for 820m in a northwesterly direction to the south circle of Knowlton Rings. It appears to be cut by the B3078 and then heads westwards for a further 500m before veering SW. It is generally defined by two parallel ditches but in places up to four are visible. It is presumed to be of prehistoric origin although a medieval date is possible. It is probably a trackway or boundary feature; it was digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Warne, C, 1872, Ancient Dorset (Monograph). SDO10094.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1932, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1931, 215-227 (Serial). SDO35.

<3> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 13-MAY-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1968 (Map). SWX1540.

(SU 01980982 to SU 02250983) Earthwork (NAT)

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 116 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘(66) LINEAR DITCHES, ploughed out, but visible on an air photograph (N.M.R., SU 0309/1), run for nearly 1,000 yds. from S. of Knoll Hill, N.W. to a point beside the Cranborne-Wimborne road, just S. of South Circle (03050935-02400987). Two almost parallel ditches, 20 ft. to 30 ft. apart, follow a sinuous course across a gentle W. slope of the Chalk. Their line is continued W. to the flood-plain of the R. Allen by a broad hollow-way, probably of medieval or later date. Whether there is any connection between it and the ditches has not been established.’

<6> English Heritage, English Heritage Alternative Action Report (Scheduling record). SDO18279.

<7> Miller, Andrew, 1993, RCHME: AP Primary Recording Project, 05-FEB-1993 (Unpublished document). SWX1708.

<7.1> NMR 4492: 02-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20433.

<7.2> NMR 4554: 41, 44-6, 49-51 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20434.

<8> John Boyden, 02-JUL-1976, JRB 3097/3 (NMR 0209/8) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15724.

<9> John Boyden, 02-JUL-1976, JRB 3097/3 (NMR 0209/8) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15724.

<10> 02-JUL-1976, NMR SU 0210/37/4 (JRB 3097/4) (Aerial Photograph). SDO19473.

<11> National Monuments Record, 06-SEP-1989, NMR 4554/49 (NMR SU 0209/28) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15728.

<12> National Monuments Record, 13-JUL-1995, NMR SU 0210/74 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18488.

<13> GetMapping, 2005, Digital vertical aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDO12563.

<14> John Boyden, 02-JUL-1976, JRB 3097/2 (NMR SU0209/7) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15721.

<15> National Monuments Record, 06-SEP-1989, NMR 4491/34 (NMR SU 0209/10) (Aerial Photograph). SDO15722.

<16> Ordnance Survey, 24-JUL-1995, OS/95633 V 200 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15723.

<17> Stoertz, Cathy, RCHME/EH/HE Aerial photograph interpreter's comments (Verbal communication). SDO19474.

<18> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AF1339047 (Index). SDO14738.

EH: Knowlton Circles, Dorset

<19> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213015 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<20> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213069 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 12 2024 10:49AM