Monument record MDO760 - Deserted settlement of Charleston east of Sodern, Charminster

The earthwork remains of a small medieval settlement lying within a rectangular enclosure. Interpreted as probably no more than a single farmstead.

A square Medieval earthwork - a subdivided enclosure with a trackway, and strip lynchets nearby. A site comparable to that near the church at Winterbourne Steepleton. (SY 68 NW 1). <2>

The site is situated on a steep West facing slope. In general it is correctly portrayed on the plan. The earthworks are grass covered. The drop from the top of the banks to the bottom of the ditches is up to 1.0 metres; the average width of the ditches being 4.0 metres. The site is probably closely connected with the strip lynchets (SY 69 SE 36), the old field boundaries and trackway). <3>

Earthworks located and surveyed. <4>

The remains are generally as described above, though the west and south sides are not well defined (see ground photograph). A broad bank not previously shown, is visible within the south-east close. Revised at 1:2500 on MSD. <7>

SY 67939355. The earthwork remains of a medieval settlement, lying within a rectangular enclosure. This enclosure is surrounded on three sides by a bank with an external ditch. The interior is divided by further banks and ditches into five enclosures. Two building platforms lie within the north western enclosure. Scheduled. <9>

The earthwork remains of a medieval settlement. The site comprises a subdivided bank and ditched rectangular enclosure which is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs. <13-15>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1930 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 67959355) Earthworks (NR)

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, RCHME Ms file (Unpublished document). SDO19490.

<3> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 02-DEC-54 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Large Scale/Small Scale Map Reviser's comments, LS Rev R Barnes 13.3.58 (Verbal communication). SDO19451.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 71-27 (Monograph). SDO146.

'(25) SETTLEMENT REMAINS (679936) of the former farmstead of Charlton lie on the E. side of the Cerne valley ½ m. N. of Charminster. The site is almost certainly one of the Cernes in Domesday Book but it cannot be identified more exactly. It is not listed in any of the 14th-century Subsidy Rolls, and indeed not until 1662 is there any recorded population (Meekings, 8); then only one household is listed 'atte Charleton Farme'. It seems likely from the records that the site was never more than a single farmstead and the remains confirm this. The earthworks, covering about 2¼ acres, consist of a roughly square enclosure on a steep slope of 15° surrounded on the N., E. and S. by a bank 2 ft. to 4 ft. high with an external ditch. The interior is divided by similar banks and ditches into five roughly rectangular areas, three on the S. side and two on the N., though there may once have been another in the N.W. Two platforms (a and b), in the N.W. corner, may be the sites of buildings. On the flat valley floor immediately below and W. of the remains recent ploughing has disclosed two areas of flint cobbles together with pottery of the 13th to 18th centuries.'

<6> Department of the Environment, 1978, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 2), 83 (Monograph). SWX1687.

<7> Attrill, N J, Field Investigators Comments NJA, F2 NJA 20-MAR-81 (Unpublished document). SDO14743.

<8> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/096 RCHME Inventory: Dorset III (Central) (Unpublished document). SDO17384.

<9> English Heritage, Scheduling Amendment, 11-FEB-2002 (Scheduling record). SDO17245.

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 881375 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Charlton Farm, Charminster, Dorset. Inscription: Profile A-B across feature a) and Profile C-D across feature b)Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 2, Gp (36) published opp the above pge no.2) Pt 1, Monument (25), 'not for publication' written on the sheet.

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 881580 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Settlement Remains of Charlton, Charminster, Dorset. Microfilmed 29-AUG-1979. Inscription: Charminster Earthworks at SodernBibliographic References : 1) Pt 1, Monument (25)

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB76/07697 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF ROUGHLY SQUARE ENCLOSURE SHOWING SITE OF POSSIBLE BUILDINGS (MARKED A+B). POTTERY C13-C18 HAS BEEN FOUND

<13> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 4131-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11039.

<14> 07-MAR-1971, NMR OS/71004 013-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO10900.

<15> 14-FEB-2005, NMR SY6793/9-12 (23790/19-22) (Aerial Photograph). SDO10899.

<16> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453329 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 12 2024 1:40PM