Monument record MDO7334 - Iron Age cross ridge dyke on Knowle Hill, Church Knowle

A cross ridge dyke is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs on Knowle Hill, Church Knowle. It forms the western edge of an Iron Age settlement enclosure.

SY 935824. Cross ridge dykes, mound and settlement on Knowle Hill. <2>

Scheduled and protected by Preservation Order. <4>

Section across earthwork. SY 93368220 to SY 93398214. This fairly substantial cross ridge dyke effectively blocks the gently sloping western approach to the ridge top. Its contour following twin banks merge into the steep natural hillslopes to the north and south. The outer bank is on average 1.0m high externally and 1.4m high internally whilst the inner bank is 2.1m high externally and 0.6m high internally. The whole is covered by dense bramble and gorse vegetation. Resurveyed at 1:2500. <5>

A cross ridge dyke is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs on Knowle Hill, Church Knowle <6-8>. It forms the western edge of an Iron Age settlement enclosure. The eastern edge of the settlement is defined by the cross dyke described separately in MDO7335. The site was digitally plotted during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 240 (Index). SDO147.

‘Permanent pasture. Track passes immediately N. 7/7/B.’

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1929 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 93388216) Earthworks (NR)

<2> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 17-FEB-52 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 517-8 (Monograph). SDO150.

'(56) Cross-ridge Dykes, five, on Knowle Hill (SY 98 sw; Fig. opp. p. 509, Plate 212), are of varying form; (c) and (d) are complex. Some or all are likely to be contemporary with the Iron Age 'A' settlement, Church Knowle (54), which lies between (c) and (d), the ditches of all the dykes being on the side distant from it. The apparently unfinished works along the N. shoulder between (c) and (d) suggest that there may have been an intention to enclose this area. … (c) (93378217), 200 yds. E. of (b); two banks with a ditch between, about 160 ft. long, span the hilltop where it is still rising to the settlement area (54). A gap in the banks 100 ft. from the S. end corresponds with an original causeway. The ditch is here 22 ft. wide, notably wider than elsewhere and 8 ft. below the E. bank. The W. bank, about 25 ft. wide and nearly 3 ft. high from the W., is bowed markedly W. At the N. end the outer scarp swings sharply E. and is continued as a terrace about 10 ft. wide, possibly the first stages of ditch construction, for 400 ft. (fn. 2) The E. bank is about 28 ft. wide.'

<4> Department of the Environment, 1977, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England Vol 2, 76 (Monograph). SWX2300.

<5> Fletcher, Martin, Field investigator's comments MJF, F2 MJF 30-APR-86 (Unpublished document). SDO17630.

<6> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 2413-14 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13483.

<7> Royal Air Force, 18-FEB-1970, RAF 58/0254 0019-20 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13504.

<8> National Monuments Record, 18-NOV-2005, SY9382/6-14 (NMR 24140/06-14) (Aerial Photograph). SDO13505.

<9> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457110 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 10:49AM