Monument record MDO733 - Prehistoric field system, Cerne Abbas

Traces of prehistoric field systems on the southern, eastern and western slopes of Green Hill. Earthwork remains of an Iron Age or Romano-British field system. The field system has been reduced by ploughing and only 43 hectares, centred around SY 67649943, survives mostly in the form of lynchets averaging 12 metres wide and 0.6 metres high. Soilmarks are evident north and south of the reduced area, and from aerial photographs it can be deduced that the original fields were mostly rectangular in shape and averaged 53 metres by 116 metres.

Centred SY 675993. An Iron Age/Romano-British 'Celtic' field system situated in pastureland. At SY 674990 and SY 670993 are rectilinear fields formed by pronounced lynchets and field banks. Weak and scattered field banks and lynchets are also visible at SY 675995, and at SY 675987 are low lynchets. <2>

The field system has been reduced by ploughing and only 43ha, centred around SY 67649943, survives mostly in the form of lynchets averaging 12.0m wide and 0.6m high. Soilmarks are evident north and south of the reduced area, and from the AP's (b) it can be deduced that the original fields were mostly rectangular in shape and averaged 53m by 116m. <4>

Ordnance Survey, 15-SEP-1979, OS 79/124/134-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18838.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 84 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(38) CELTIC FIELD-SYSTEMS, on the S., E. and W. slopes of Green Hill 1m. S.S.E. of the church'.

<2> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 03-FEB-55 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<2.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 3371-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18837.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 scale map, 1975 (Map). SDO17396.

(Name centred SY 673990) Field System (NR)

<4> Attrill, N J, Field Investigators Comments NJA, F2 NJA 11-DEC-80 (Unpublished document). SDO14743.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452837 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 27 2023 4:30PM