Monument record MDO830 - Cross dyke on Lyscombe Hill, Cheselbourne

Cross-Dyke, comprising two sections, probably connected. The first section (a) runs SW-NE. (72960157-73070170) for 200 yds, from the crest of the spur on the parish boundary with Piddletrenthide, down a gentle slope, and ends well short of the shoulder of the spur. It consists of a main bank on the SE side with a ditch uphill and a slighter bank beyond. The main bank, 21 ft across, increases in height downhill from 2 ft to 10 ft. A later bank straddled by trees runs along its top. The ditch is 12 ft wide, flat-bottomed and 2 3/4 ft below the bank. The slighter bank on the NW is up to 20 ft across.

A gap near the centre may be original but the dyke appears to block a double-lynchet track associated with 'Celtic' fields. The increase in height of the main bank downhill indicates that it is built on a 'Celtic' field edge, and a 'Celtic' field continues its line NE to the shoulder of the spur. Air photographs suggest that the dyke formerly continued SW for some 50 yds and then, making a right-angled turn NW, joined the second section of the dyke (b) (72860160), which runs NW for 46 yds across the head of a gulley. The bank, which is on the SW side, is 22 ft wide and 5 1/2 ft high; the ditch, which is disturbed, is 27ft wide at the SE and narrows towards the NW. There is a gap 24 ft wide near the S end. <1-2>

ST 72840162 & ST 72960158 to ST 73090173. The two sections of cross dyke remain as described by RCHM <1>. Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSDs ST 72/7301. <3>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 78 (Monograph). SDO146.

‘(22) CROSS-DYKE, comprising two sections, probably connected. The first section (a) runs S.W.–N.E. (72960157– 73070170) for 200 yds., from the crest of the spur on the parish boundary with Piddletrenthide, down a gentle slope, and ends well short of the shoulder of the spur. It consists of a main bank on the S.E. side with a ditch uphill and a slighter bank beyond. The main bank, 21 ft. across, increases in height downhill from 2 ft. to 10 ft. A later bank straddled by trees runs along its top. The ditch is 12 ft. wide, flat-bottomed and 2¾ ft. below the bank. The slighter bank on the N.W. is up to 20 ft. across. A gap near the centre may be original but the dyke appears to block a double-lynchet track associated with 'Celtic' fields. The increase in height of the main bank downhill indicates that it is built on a 'Celtic' field edge, and a 'Celtic' field continues its line N.E. to the shoulder of the spur. Air photographs suggest that the dyke formerly continued S.W. for some 50 yds. and then, making a right-angled turn N.W., joined the second section of the dyke (b) (72860160), which runs N.W. for 46 yds. across the head of a gulley. The bank, which is on the S.W. side, is 22 ft. wide and 5½ ft. high; the ditch, which is disturbed, is 27 ft. wide at the S.E. and narrows towards the N.W. There is a gap 24 ft. wide near the S. end.’

<2> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-47, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 4365-67, 4365-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17536.

<3> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F1 GB 06-NOV-78 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 882367 (Index). SDO14738.

RHME: Dyke South of Lyscombe Hill, Dorset: Includes profile. Inscription:Cheselbourne ().Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 1, Monument (23)

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, RCH01/096 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME Inventory, Dorset III (Central): A large collection of archive relating to the RCHME Dorset Inventory Volume III, published in 1970. It contains field surveys and excavation archive. Parish files containing original surveys have been given child collection status.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 202082 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 24 2022 1:12PM