Monument record MDO8290 - Deserted settlement at West Burton, Winfrith Newburgh

A series of hollow-ways are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs associated with probable building platforms and field boundaries. The settlement probably represents the medieval hamlet of 'West Burton' mentioned in the Charter Rolls of 1279.

SY 824858 Deserted Medieval Village of West Burton lies immediately north of the Wareham-Dorchester road and appears to have been a flourishing settlement until at least the early 14th century, after which it declined and was apparently completely deserted by the mid-16th century (a).

The remains, covering 10 acres, consist of two hollow-ways meeting to form a T-junction at the south of the site. The bar of the T is an irregular hollow-way running north east-south west; varying from 15ft to 30 ft wide and up to 2 ft deep, which meets the existing main road at both ends. The other hollow-way, 30 ft wide and up to 3 ft deep runs north west for 300 ft and then turns west and runs for 700 ft until it joins a modern cart track. On both sides of this hollow-way are the slight remains of at least ten roughly rectangular closes bounded by low banks, within which are spreads of carstone, flint and limestone rubble indicating former building sites. A quantity of pottery, all
dating form the 12th-14th centuries has been picked up on the site. <2>

SY 824858. Earthworks of Medieval settlement, West Burton. Scheduled. <3>

The majority of the settlement is in poor condition with little evidence of remaining closes. The recent realignment of the modern road has destroyed the E. to W. hollow way along the south side of the area leaving the main hollowway. Two possible house sites are visible at SY 82418592 and SY 82478585 (see plan). Surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D. <4>

Remains of West Burton deserted Medieval village are clearly defined on air photographs at SY 824859.

A series of hollow-ways are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs <7-8> associated with probable building platforms and field boundaries. The settlement probably represents the medieval hamlet of 'West Burton' mentioned in the Charter Rolls of 1279. The features were digitally plotted during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

The site of a deserted medieval settlement at West Burton, situated on a knoll, overlooking the Frome Valley to the north. The settlement probably represents the medieval hamlet of 'West Burton' mentioned in Charter Rolls of 1279. The site survives as a series of earthworks which extend over about 4.5 hectares. The settlement occurs on the edge of heathland and lies immediately to the north of the primary route between the medieval towns of Dorchester and Wareham. A hollow way, aligned south east to north west, represents the course of a street amd it is visible as an earthwork 5-6 metres wide and about 0.5 metres deep. This is flanked by at least ten small rectangular enclosures, or tofts, all of which are bounded by low banks and contain flint, carstone and limestone rubble relating to former buildings. The hollow way formed a 'T' junction with the medieval road to the south, a remnant of which was recorded as a hollow way aligned east-west prior to destruction by the realignment of the A352 in 1966. Historical documentation records at least five tenants at West Burton in 1309, at least seven tenants or freeholders at the hamlet in 1318 and also attests occupation at the site in 1333. During the later 14th century, the hamlet and its associated land was granted to Bindon Abbey, after which the history of the site becomes obscure. Historical sources indicate that the area formed woodland by 1540 and it is probable that the settlement had become deserted by this time. <8>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1967, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1966, 117-118 (Serial). SDO66.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 380 (Monograph). SDO149.

'(31) WEST BURTON, deserted mediaeval village (824858), lies immediately N. of the WarehamDorchester road and 300 yds. S.E. of West Burton Dairy (29), on Reading Beds and London Clay. West Burton appears to have been a flourishing settlement until at least the early 14th century, after which it declined and was apparently completely deserted by the mid 16th century (Dorset Procs. LXXXVIII (1966), 117–8).

The remains, covering 10 acres, consist of two hollow-ways meeting to form a T-junction at the S. of the site. The bar of the T is an irregular hollow-way running N.E.-S.W., varying from 15 ft. to 30 ft. wide and up to 2 ft. deep, which meets the existing main road at both ends. The other hollow-way, 30 ft. wide and up to 3 ft. deep, runs N.W. for 300 ft. and then turns W. and runs for 700 ft. until it joins a modern cart-track leading to the Dairy. On both sides of this hollow-way are the slight remains of at least ten roughly rectangular closes bounded by low banks, within which are spreads of carstone, flint and limestone rubble indicating former building sites. A quantity of pottery, all dating from the 12th-14th centuries, has been picked up on the site. '

<3> Department of the Environment, 1978, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 2), 82 (Monograph). SWX1687.

<4> Attrill, N J, Field Investigators Comments NJA, F1 NJA 03-JUL-81 (Unpublished document). SDO14743.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1994, Medieval Village Research Group Index, PRN 479 (Index). SDO16386.

<6> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 6419-20 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13235.

<7> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 1039-40 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13233.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 455343 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 9 2024 3:27PM