Monument record MWX852 - Earthworks, Whitecliff Farm, Swanage

Earthworks interpreted as possible medieval strip lynchets and/or sites of military buildings (1914-18). These features were plotted from aerial photographs of 1945 during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

Earthworks - possibly ancient. <1>

The remains of a small much more ancient house than Whitecliff Farm (SZ 03008075) may lie hidden under the grassy mounds which vaguely suggest their existence in the broken ground to the west of the farm. <2>

Centred SZ 028807. Extending over an area approx. 200 yards square are a series of terraced platforms built into the natural slope - probably the earthworks of Authority. 1 Mr Morrison (a) stated that these were the steadings of military buildings constructed during the 1914:18 war when the area was occupied by a hospital. Any ancient earthworks which may have existed hereabouts have now been destroyed by the later constructions. <3>

(Around SZ 029808). Three damaged Medieval contour strip lynchet, north west of Whitecliff Farm, one with a river up to 12ft high. Air photographs suggest that medieval cultivation once extended to the foot of Ballard Down. <4>

The site is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1945 <5>. The site comprises: an area of closely spaced rectangular platforms with ditches surrounding them; two areas of sub-rectangular depressions and linear banks to the north and west; and small buildings or platforms to the north west and north east. These features could be the building bases of the First World War military hospital, but the central area of closely spaced platforms has the appearance of an agricultural feature, possibly lazy beds. The possible buildings and agricultural features are located in the same area as boundaries or trackways, which appear to be earlier in form (see MDO30811). These features were digitally plotted during the Wild Purbeck Mapping Project.

<1> Calkin, J B, Annotated Record Map Corr. 6 (J B Calkin 194?) (Map). SWX3432.

<2> Robinson C E, 1882, Picturesque Rambles in the Isle of Purbeck, 108 (Monograph). SWX3430.

<3> Colquhoun, F D, Field Investigators Comments FDC, F1 FDC 22-DEC-52 (Unpublished document). SWX2609.

<3.1> Mr H Morrison (farmer and tenant Whitcliff Farm New Swanage) (Verbal communication). SWX8397.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 3, 297 (Monograph). SDO150.

<5> Royal Air Force, 20-MAR-1945, RAF 106G/LA187 4001-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13445.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457632 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 19 2023 12:54PM