Monument record MDO7406 - Deserted medieval settlement, Afflington Farm, Corfe Castle

The remains of rectilinear enclosures and trackways associated with a deserted medieval settlement are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of fields to the north and east of Afflington Farm, Corfe Castle.

Afflington, Alfrington or Addlington was anciently a considerable manor and a hamlet, now only a tithing and farm. A little east from the house are foundations of buildings where probably the ancient hamlet stood. A market and fair were granted 54 Henry III (1269-70). <1>

(SY 971802) Settlement remains of Afflington cover almost 10 acres of pasture east of Afflington Farm and were
recorded in Domesday as 'Alvronetone'. The remains lie in a field which slopes north to a partly embanked stream that forms the north boundary and is fed by a small and boggy water channel. A hollow-way flanked by scarps 1 1/2ft high enters the field from the lane to Afflington Farm and crosses it at right angles. Two platforms immediately north of it are the only likely house sites, their level surface contrasts markedly with the slope of
the other closes. The larger platform is almost square about 3/4 acre and traces of subdivision; its north scarp falls 4 1/2ft into a long hollow 6 yards wide, posssibly an approach way. A second smaller platform of about 1/3 acre adjoins the first on the east; it contains in the south west angle two subsidiary platforms 4 x 8 yards and 5 x 10 yards, which might once have supported buildings. The hollow-way continues east until blocked by a low bank some 40 yards west of the east hedge of the field; beyond this only a faintly defined hollow-way can be seen. Much disturbed banks and scarps lie north and south and in the south west quarter of the field are two scarped and banked closes, each over 1/2 acre. There is evidence for a two field system in the medieval period. <2-3>

SY 972801. DMV of Afflington. Listed. <4>

It is said that between 15 and 20 houses still stood at the end of the 17th century. <6>

Desertion at Afflington extends over 4 ha., centred at SY 97188015. It consists of about nine closes in blocks of two or three, separated, in the best preserved northern half, by hollow ways. Generally as described by authority 1,but three building platforms can be distinguished. Two are sunken platforms approached by entrance way hollows and one is a raised platform. A fourth building site is just discernible in low light.

A shallow pond at SY 97178010 is simple an accumulation of run-off water but its hollow may have formerly served some other purpose. The two closes immediately to the NW of the pond and on the S side of a hollow way appear to have been cut back at some distant time along their southern edge.

The hollow ways are from 0.5m to 0.9m deep; other banks and scarps 0.2m to 0.5m high.

The settlement probably once extended over a further 3 ha. To the W, an area mostly occupied by house, cottage and farm buildings, but the field to the N of these exhibits further amorphous undulations.

A hedging ditch bordering its E. side, abutting the farm approach lane, has cast up quantities of oyster shells. <7>

The remains of rectilinear enclosures and trackways associated with a deserted medieval settlement are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of fields to the north and east of Afflington Farm, Corfe Castle <9-12>. These features were digitally plotted during the Wild Purbeck mapping project.

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1861, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 1 (Monograph). SWX4496.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1957, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1956, 78 (Serial). SDO56.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 100 (Monograph). SDO148.

‘(180) SETTLEMENT REMAINS at Afflington (971802) cover almost 10 acres of pasture immediately E. of Afflington Farm (Monument 127). Afflington appears in Domesday Book as 'Alvronetone' and variations. Aelfrun held it under Edward the Confessor (Hutchins I, 527–9; Fägersten, 117). There is evidence for a twofield system in the mediaeval period (H. L. Gray, English Field Systems (1915), App. II, 461): some possible traces also show on air photographs.
The remains lie in a field which slopes gently N. to a partly embanked stream that forms the N. boundary and is fed by a small and boggy water channel draining S.-N. through the field by way of a pond near its centre. A hollow-way flanked by scarps 1½ ft. high enters the field from the lane to Afflington Farm and crosses it at right angles. The way varies in width, narrowing from 12 yds. at the W. to about 4 yds. and then opening out to 8 yds. after a run of 100 yds. Two platforms immediately N. of it are the only likely house sites; their level surface contrasts markedly with the slope of the other closes. The larger platform is almost square, about ¾ acre and with traces of subdivision; its N. scarp falls 4½ ft. into a long hollow 6 yds. wide, possibly an approach way. A second, smaller, platform of about 1/5 acre adjoins the first on the E.; it contains in the S.W. angle two subsidiary platforms, 4 yds. by 8 yds. and 5 yds. by 10 yds., which might once have supported buildings.
The hollow-way continues E. until blocked by a low bank some 40 yds. W. of the E. hedge of the field; beyond this blocking only a faintly defined hollow-way can be seen. Much disturbed banks and scarps lie N. and S. In the S.W. quarter of the field are two scarped and banked closes, each over ½ acre. For 70 yds. or so N. of the S.E. angle of the field the E. hedge seems to run on a lynchet, which possibly bounded part of the open fields. (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1821: 5406–7.)’

<3.1> Gray, H L, 1915, English Field Systems (Monograph). SDO17648.

<3.2> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 5406-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13382.

<4> Beresford, M, and Hurst, J G, 1971, Deserted Medieval Villages, 186 (Monograph). SWX1568.

<5> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 7 (Index). SDO147.

‘Earthworks clearly visible in permanent pasture immediately E. of a track and Afflington Farm Buildings. The site appears to be unploughed but the land appears to have been disturbed by the wheels of farm machinery. Also visible on AP – DCC Area2//1972//5585 212217. Also OS SY98SE9. 7/7/B.’

<6> Good, R, 1979, Lost Villages of Dorset (Monograph). SWX1569.

<7> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 23-APR-86 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<8> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1994, Medieval Village Research Group Index, PRN 432 (Index). SDO16386.

<9> Royal Air Force, 10-FEB-1945, RAF 106G/LA/128 7063-64 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13673.

<10> Royal Air Force, 27-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA/200 2063-64 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13689.

<11> National Monuments Record, 21-FEB-2000, SY 9780/11 NMR 18701/32 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13690.

<12> Dorset County Council, 2002, VAP (Aerial Photograph). SDO13141.

<13> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<14> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456778 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 20 2025 1:52PM