Monument record MWX1054 - Linear enclosure, St Catherine's Hill, Christchurch

Possible boundary earthwork of uncertain date. The banked linear earthwork is visible on 1940s aerial photographs and current Lidar imagery and was digitally plotted by the Dorst Stour NMP project.

A low lynchet-like bank and ditch extends north from the enclosure (SZ 19 NW 30) to join a broad, causeway type bank, 10.5m wide and 1m high, with flanking ditches. Its western end terminates in a low, near circular, platform with a surrounding ditch, a possible bowl barrow (SZ 19 NW 53). It should be noted that the bank, if extended, would also join another bowl barrow, now destroyed (SZ 19 NW 25). This latter connection could not be established as the banks eastern end has been has been destroyed by gravel digging. The purpose and origin of this bank is obscure but it is likely that it is some form of land boundary of comparatively recent date. (1)

The banked linear earthwork is visible on 1940s aerial photographs and current Lidar imagery and was digitally plotted by the Dorst Stour NMP project (2 and 3). A small sub circular pit, 2m by 2.3m is visible on 1940s aerial photographs (2), cut into its south side. This forms one of a series of excavated pits in this are that are potentially of military origin (see MDO….).

<1> Woodhouse, W C, Various, Field Investigators Comments WCW, F1 WCW 16-JUL-54 (Unpublished document). SWX3798.

<2> Royal Air Force, 28-MAY-47, RAF_CPE_UK_2102 RP 3279-80 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15579.

<3> XX-XXX-2015, Environment Agency DTM Lidar 1m (Aerial Photograph). SDO15442.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1009357 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 23 2023 6:16PM