Monument record MWX610 - East and West Man, medieval strip lynchets, Worth Matravers

A group of medieval strip lynchets at East and West Man. An extensive medieval strip field system to the south of Worth Matravers. The features are visible as earthworks on lidar. Additional lynchets have been identified as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs. The system is partially scheduled.

Strip Fields. SY 973757 - 980774. Almost the whole area within the suggested boundaries of the manor of Worth to the south of the village bears traces of strip fields of the open field system. Remains clearly visible on the ground cover some 100 acres but others can be identified over a further 190 acres. They line the valley running south to Winspit, most of its side gullies, the prominent spurs of West Man and East Man above the sea and the east side of the ridge west of Seacombe Bottom. The subsoil is Lower and Middle Purbeck limestone's and marls except towards the sea where there are marls and shales; land-slips on West and East Man are probably due to these. Most of the surviving strips are contour strip lynchets. Despite some recent quarrying and ploughing, their pattern is generally well-preserved and some groups present excellent examples of this form of field. The dimensions vary: strips are from 70 yards to 280 yards long but generally over 200 yards - a length of 450 yards on East Man was probably subdivided - with treads 3 yards to 30 yards wide; riser heights vary between 9 inches and 15 feet and the transverse slope on treads from 4o to 15o. Strip lynchets run up-and-down the south side of a gully about 977767; the slope along the treads is 15o. Other strip lynchets run obliquely across the contours west, of Seacombe Bottom around 980772. East of the village near 976774 are six strips 20 yards to 25 yards wide divided by very spread scarps up to 1 1/2ft high; these may have been village closes. The ploughed-over remains on flatter ground, most of which is now arable, are too much disturbed to indicate their original form. Narrow rig occurs on parts of East and West Man, both of which were arable on the Tithe Map of 1840, and above Seacombe Bottom. It is associated with destruction of the less well-developed strip lynchets. On the south slope of both East and West Man furlongs laid end-to-end meet on the areas of slumped soil from the old landslips. See plan <2>

Mainly under pasture: even where ploughed the strips are very impressive. Occupied by Mr Strange, Worth Farm, Worth Matravers. Adequately shown on OS 1:2500. <4>

SY 97377604; SY 97647715; SY 97637655; SY 97967720. A group of medieval strip lynchets at East and West Man. Scheduling amended. <5>

An extensive medieval strip field system to the south of Worth Matravers. The features are visible as earthworks on lidar. Additional lynchets have been identified as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs <6-8>. The features were digitally plotted during the South West Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset). The system is partially scheduled.

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

Field System (NR) (three times)

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 415 (Monograph). SDO150.

‘Settlements and Strip Fields. Several recorded ancient names can probably be related to former land divisions. Renscombe, Worth Matravers, Eastington and Weston are all listed in Domesday Book, the last three as separate 'Worths'. Boundaries of land attributable to these places are strongly suggested by surviving runs of field boundaries occasionally supplemented by traces of banks and scarps making up the original continuous lines. The areas of the parcels of land so defined are approximately as follows: Renscombe, 730 acres; Weston, 210 acres; Worth, 710 acres; and Eastington, 330 acres. Remains of mediaeval settlement survive at Weston (28) and at Eastington (30) where 'pillow-mounds' (32a–c) are probably associated with them. The Priest's Way, an ancient road between Worth and Swanage, passes N. of Eastington. Other remains (33) near Downshay Farm are probably the site of another small early settlement.

Contour strip lynchets in Worth are extensive and mostly well-developed. Similar remains in Eastington are very broken, but in spite of widespread quarrying, much of it recent, there are no signs that they were ever extensive. The very slight contour strips above the sea to the S. of Weston contrast notably with those immediately E. in Worth on West Man. The confused and ill-developed remains S. of Renscombe are described with Ancient Field Group (24). (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1821: 1393–9 and 3400–4.) …

(29) STRIP FIELDS (973757-980774; Plate 198). Almost the whole area within the suggested boundaries of the manor of Worth to the S. of the village bears traces of strip fields of the open field system. Remains clearly visible on the ground cover some 100 acres but others can be identified over a further 190 acres. They line the valley running S. to Winspit, most of its side gullies, the prominent spurs of West Man and East Man above the sea and the E. side of the ridge W. of Seacombe Bottom. The subsoil is Lower and Middle Purbeck limestones and marls except towards the sea where there are marls and shales; land-slips on West and East Man are probably due to these.

Most of the surviving strips are contour strip lynchets. Despite some recent quarrying and ploughing, their pattern is generally well-preserved and some groups present excellent examples of this form of field (Plate 198). The dimensions vary: strips are from 70 yds. to 280 yds. long but generally over 200 yds.—a length of 450 yds. on East Man was probably sub-divided—with treads 3 yds. to 30 yds. wide; riser heights vary between 9 ins. and 15 ft. and the transverse slope on treads from 4° to 15°. Strip lynchets run up-and-down the S. side of a gully about 977767; the slope along the treads is 15°. Other strip lynchets run obliquely across the contours W. of Seacombe Bottom around 980772. E. of the village near 976774 are six strips 20 yds. to 25 yds. wide divided by very spread scarps up to 1½ ft. high; these may have been village closes. The ploughed-over remains on flatter ground, most of which is now arable, are too much disturbed to indicate their original form. Narrow rig occurs on parts of East and West Man, both of which were arable on the Tithe Map of 1840, and above Seacombe Bottom. It is associated with destruction of the less well-developed strip lynchets. On the S. slope of both E. and W. Man furlongs laid end-to-end meet on the areas of slumped soil from the old landslips. (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1821: 1393–7 and 3401–3.)’

<2.1> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 1393-97 and 3401-03 (Aerial Photograph). SWX8380.

<3> Department of the Environment, 1977, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 1), 78 (Monograph). SWX2598.

SY 975763. Strip lynchets on West and East Man Scheduled.

<4> Wardale, C F, Various, Field Investigators Comments CFW, F1 CFW 22-JAN-86 (Unpublished document). SWX2704.

<5> DCMS, 2002, Scheduled Monument Notification EH Scheduling amendment, 07-MAR-2002 (Scheduling record). SWX2705.

<6> Channel Coastal Observatory, 23-MAR-2008, Lidar (Photograph). SDO12878.

<7> Channel Coastal Observatory, 25-FEB-2009, Lidar (Aerial Photograph). SDO12879.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 16-APR-1982, OS 82033 013-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12893.

<9> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey (Index). SDO147.

‘Extensive system of strip fields, well preserved on steeper slopes in permanent pasture. On the gentle slopes the land is regularly ploughed and the earthworks are less clear. 1/2/B.’

<10> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East), AO52/F58/5 (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

TAKEN FROM SY 9798 7753

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, AO52/F58/7 (Index). SDO14738.

TAKEN FROM SY 9877 7700

<12> Historic England, Historic England Archive, CC71/00629 (Index). SDO14738.

EAST SLOPE OF EAST MAN,WEST OF MANOR BOUNDARY

<13> Historic England, Historic England Archive, CC71/00630 (Index). SDO14738.

EAST SLOPE OF EAST MAN,WEST OF MANOR BOUNDARY

<14> Historic England, Historic England Archive, CC71/00631 (Index). SDO14738.

NORTH OF BONVILS FARM,WEST MAN (SY 975 763)

<15> Historic England, Historic England Archive, CC71/00632 (Index). SDO14738.

NORTH FACE OF WEST MAN

<16> Historic England, Historic England Archive, CC71/00633 (Index). SDO14738.

WEST MAN

<17> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS52/F58/5 (Index). SDO14738.

LYNCHETS CENTERED AT SY97957715 TAKEN FROM SY97987753. Photographer: UNKNOWN

<18> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS52/F58/7 (Index). SDO14738.

LYNCHETS CENTERED AT SY97957715 TAKEN FROM SY98777700. Photographer: UNKNOWN

<19> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456398 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 6 2024 4:39PM