Monument record MDO7776 - Deserted medieval settlement, Lytchett Matravers

Earthworks associated with a deserted medieval village east of Greenfields Coppice are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features comprise at least one rectilinear house platform and additional boundaries and hollows, as well as two fields containing possible medieval ridge and furrow. The village earthworks potentially extend into the field north of the one containing the well preserved house platform. The features were digitally potted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

(Centred SY 946969) Earthworks of "deserted Medieval village type" to the west of Greenfields Coppice were partially excavated by NH Field in 1964, after the discovery on the surface of Medieval and post-Medieval sherds and also one of Samian ware. A well-defined house-platform at SY 94579691 showed traces of rubble footings with charcoal and a tile fragment. <1>

SY 945969. Settlement remains lie in a field south of Loop Cottage and consist of 4 acres of much-disturbed earthworks, now all ploughed, including three probable house sites. Scattered potsherds date from the 12th century onwards. <2>

Fragments of Medieval desertion are centred at SY 94569687 and consist of one large well-defined platform about 30.0 metres square at SY 94599688 bounded by a scarp 1.0 metres high, another platform or small terrace at SY 94569686, and one or two minor scarps and depressions. The area is under pasture, but has been ploughed in recent years. Surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D. <3>

Earthworks associated with a deserted medieval village east of Greenfields Coppice are visible on 1940s aerial photographs <4-5>. The features comprise at least one rectilinear house platform and additional boundaries and hollows, as well as two fields containing possible medieval ridge and furrow. The village earthworks potentially extend into the field north of the one containing the well preserved house platform. The features were digitally potted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project. Many of the features are still visible on available Google Earth imagery, though potentially suffering from plough activity.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1965, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1964, 115 (Serial). SDO64.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 157 (Monograph). SDO148.

'(35) SETTLEMENT REMAINS (945969) lie 1300 yds. N.E. of St. Mary's church. In a field S. of Loop Cottage are 4 acres of much-disturbed remains, now all ploughed, including three probable house sites. Scattered potsherds date from the 12th century onwards. (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1934:2139).'

<3> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 06-MAR-81 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<4> Royal Air Force, 05-MAR-1945, RAF/106G/LA/163 RP 3072 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19967.

<5> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RS 4244 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19959.

<6> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457322 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 8 2023 2:15PM