Monument record MDO7238 - Medieval strip lynchets, Chaldon Herring

(Area SY 799834) Terraces ? Saxon. <1>

The area mentioned in authority 1 has five very prominent lynchets set on the west slope of the valley following the contour. The height of each varies fo 2.0m to 7.0m, and between each the ground is quite level forming a platform from 5.0m to 10.0m wide. The top of each lynchet was surveyed. On the east side of the valley a similar lynchet was surveyed; the platform being less well defined. At SY 79938310 two pieces of thick coarse unidentifiable pottery were found embedded in a rabbit hole. Lynchets well defined on air photographs. <2-3>

The strip lynchets centred at SY 799834 remain as described by Authority 2, in good state of preservation. <4>

A system of probable medieval strip lynchets is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs <3, 5-9> of the 1940s to the south east of Chaldon Herring. This area of cultivation is probably associated with a system around Chaldon Herring (see linked record). The field system is formed of narrow curvilinear field boundaries visible as banks which follow the contour lines. The system is visible over an area measuring approximately 1520 m by 325 m. These features were digitally plotted as part of the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

<1> Annotated Record Map 6 inch, H S Toms 30 9 27 (Map). SDO17376.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 01-SEP-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 4434-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13866.

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 21-JUL-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<5> Royal Air Force, 21-JAN-1945, RAF 106G/LA/105 1070-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13864.

<6> Royal Air Force, 21-JAN-1945, RAF 106G/LA/105 1071-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13865.

<7> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3269-70 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13852.

<8> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3270-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13851.

<9> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 4433-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13785.

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB74/04540 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF STRIP LYNCHETS

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB74/04541 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF STRIP LYNCHETS

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS52/F66/6 (Index). SDO14738.

LYNCHETS FROM NORTH

<13> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454208 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 7 2023 3:22PM