Monument record MDO716 - Settlement on Smacam Down, Cerne Abbas

A sub-square enclosure measuring about 50 by 40 yards, on Smacam Down. There is a central circular feature described as a hut circle, some 34 feet across. The settlement and field system are visible as earthworks on Environment Agency lidar imagery. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle Valleys AIM project

Field system plotted from air photographs Jan-Mar 1949. <2>

"This settlement has a four-sided enclosure (about 50 yds x 40 yds) on the E.side, with a hut circle of about 34ft. in diameter in the middle. It is surrounded by a celtic field system. The next bank to the W. of the enclosure is of heavier construction than the others and it about 5ft. high above the ditch which runs along its W. side …."

"The Celtic field-system extends both to the E, S and W. of the settlement, and there are further traces some 600 yds. to the N and NW. <3>

Situated on the grass covered, southern slopes of the ridge and just below the crest. There is no trace of any extensive settlement. The earthworks comprise the following:

'A' Probable Hut Circle in the form of a bank, average 4.5m. wide with an inner height of 0.5m. and an outer height of 0.3m., enclosing a circular area 7.0m. diameter and with an entrance on the south side.

Enclosure. The hut circle is situated in the centre of a rectilinear enclosure formed by a bank with an outer ditch. Average dimensions of the N & W sides, bank 6.0m. wide 0.5m. high, ditch 3.0m. wide, 0.5m. deep. The south and east sides are less pronounced. There is no trace of an entrance to the enclosure.

Possible cross ridge dyke. Extending from 'B' SY 65699932, to 'C', SY 65729950. A bank with a ditch to the west at its strongest point which is on the ridge top, and topographically and characteristically resembling a cross ridge dyke.

Maximum dimensions. Bank 7.5m. wide and 1.1m. high. Ditch 2.0m. wide and 0.8m. deep. The feature, as it extends towards its extremities down the hillside, becomes weaker.

Field system.'D'. In the area centred at SY 655993, strong lynchets and field banks form IA/RB type rectilinear enclosure.

At 'E' centred at SY 661993, low lynchets follow the contours. <4>

25" Survey revised. <5>

The field system on Smacam Down is now in a much reduced condition with the field banks to the south and west very poorly defined. The remainder on top of the spur is generally as described by Authys 3 & 4 though "the bank of heavier construction" is unlikely to be "a cross-ridge dyke" as it is of a sinous nature and does not transverse the spur. Revised at 1:2500 on M.S.D. <6>

Fields traced from aerial photographs, correspondence, additional material, photographs. (7)

The settlement is visible on Environment Agency lidar imagery as a sub-rectilinear enclosure and possible hut circle within, visible as a 14-15m in diameter circular bank with a central hollow and possible entrance on the south side. The morphology suggests a possible Middle Bronze Age date, although this might rather be Iron Age in origin. The remains of a fragmented, regular and rectilinear field system lie adjacent to the south, west and east, which might be contemporary to Iron Age in date, with potentially later (IA-RB) features merging with the peripheries of this - a field system of potentially Iron Age to Roman character is recorded to the north under MDO48662 . A linear bivallate trackway with internal ditch extends NE-SW from the higher ground on the north side of the settlement but appears to end at a E-W running field boundary. The features were digitally polotted during the Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle Valleys AIM project. <10>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

<2> Atkinson, R J C, 1949, spec 6 inch (RJCA 1.3.49) (Map). SWX1583.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 83-84 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(33) Settlement and Barrows (Plate 106) on Smacam Down 1¼ m. S.W. of the church. The settlement has a four-sided enclosure (about 50 yards by 40 yards) on the E. side, with a hut-circle of about 34 ft. in diameter in the middle. It is surrounded by a Celtic field-system of which the adjoining parts are shown on the accompanying plan. The next bank to the W. of the enclosure is of heavier construction than the others and is about 5 ft. high above the ditch which runs along its W. side. … A Celtic field system extends both to the E., S. and W. of the settlement and there are further traces some 600 yards to the N. and N.W.’

<4> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 03-FEB-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<4.1> Royal Air Force, RAF/CPE/UK/2475 3125 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20455.

<4.2> St Joseph, J K, J K St Joseph AR 77-9 AY 12-17 BJ 17-18 and 20-21 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20456.

<5> Waggott, Thomas Pilling, Field Investigators comments TPW, F2 TPW 13-JAN-71 (Unpublished document). SDO17968.

<6> Attrill, N J, Field Investigators Comments NJA, F3 NJA 02-SEP-81 (Unpublished document). SDO14743.

<7> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Unpublished revision RCHME Dorset I (West) Undated (Cerne Abbas file) (Unpublished document). SDO17365.

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive (Index). SDO14738.

881840 RCHME: Settlement on Smacam Down, Cerne Abbas
AA72/01799 IA/RB SETTLEMENT AND CELTIC FIELD SYSTEMS
AA72/01800 IA/RB SETTLEMENT AND CELTIC FIELD SYSTEMS
CC71/00533 PLAN OF IA/RB SETTLEMENT, CELTIC FIELD SYSYTEM AND LONG BARROW. Photographer: UNKNOWNDonor: UNKNOWNCopyright: UNKNOWN

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452865 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<10> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

Record last edited

Jan 22 2025 2:49PM