Monument record MDO7784 - Tree enclosure on Brock Hill, Lytchett Matravers

Earthworks on Brock Hill previously suggested to be an Iron Age hillfort, now considered to be a natural feature and tree enclosure ring. A partial sub-circular banked feature with an outer ditch, approximately 18-20m in diameter, is visible on 1940s aerial photographs and current Environment Agency lidar imagery. The southwest side of the enclosure was not visible. Further sections of possible curvilinear banked earthworks adjacent to the southeast and northwest sides of the feature are also suggested on an aerial photograph dated 1945, although the shadows cast by the trees made it difficult to securely identify earthwork features. The features are also visible on lidar imagery as faint earthworks, whether related is not certain. The features broadly correspond with the description given in the NRHE Hob UID 457265, and above. They were digitally plotted from these sources during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

"An important hill fort". <2>

The O.S. description bears no resemblance to any known earthwork class visible at the site, where all that can be seen is a small tree ring. The site is not mentioned by Warne or Hutchins and is shown for the first time on the 1926 revision, and not on the 1887 survey. A most dubious site. <3>

A prominent but small hill, now cleared of woodland. On the summit there is a tree ring, 18.0m. in diameter and this has a small bank and outer ditch. There is no outer ditch beyond this, and that shown on the O.S. 6" is not a ditch but a mutilated berm. This site is not an antiquity. <4>

A partial sub-circular banked feature with an outer ditch, approximately 18-20m in diameter, is visible on 1940s aerial photographs and current Environment Agency lidar imagery [6, 7]. The southwest side of the enclosure was not visible. Further sections of possible curvilinear banked earthworks adjacent to the southeast and northwest sides of the feature are also suggested on an aerial photograph dated 1945, although the shadows cast by the trees made it difficult to securely identify earthwork features. The features are also visible on lidar imagery as faint earthworks, whether related is not certain. The features broadly correspond with the description given in the NRHE Hob UID 457265, and above [4]. They were digitally plotted from these sources during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

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

[SY 9309 9697] Camp [OE]

<2> Unknown, Annotated Record Map Rec. 6 (Map). SWX2251.

<3> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 24-NOV-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<4> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, RCHM Mss file (Unpublished document). SDO18524.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457265 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<6> Royal Air Force, 05-MAR-1945, RAF/106G/LA/163 3075 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20053.

<7> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

Record last edited

Sep 19 2023 12:30PM