Monument record MDO1814 - Osmington, medieval strip lynchets

SY 721832. Strip lynchets running against the contours but not directly "up-and-down" type. <1>

The strip lynchets centred at SY 722832, covering an area of 0.4ha, are as described by <1>. They are in thick grass on a north-facing slope, their heights up to 0.6m maximum. Area outlined on 1:10560 Record Sheet. <2>

A series of narrow parallel medieval strip lynchets are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs <3>, to the north-west of West Farm House, Osmington. They were plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 183 (Monograph). SDO148.

'(28) STRIP LYNCHETS and BROAD RIDGE-AND-FURROW (see Fig. p. 187). Remains of strip lynchets cover about 130 acres; some 80 acres appear to be associated with Osmington village (extending up to 4/5 mile away), and 50 acres with Ringstead.

The strips lie on chalk, clay, limestone and sandy subsoils. Most follow the contours but some around 721832 and 733820 run against them, though not directly up-and-down. All except two at about 748821 end in ramps or by running out on to an unploughed area. Breaks probably corresponding with furlong ends are detectable in most groups (as in Winterbourne Steepleton 12). Around 74748220 the natural slope is so steep that it suggests some preparation of the ground was necessary before first ploughing. (The almost flat treads in the area are notable.)

The main groups are at about 721832, 728834 to 732834, 732838, N.W. and N.E. of Osmington; 731822 and 733820, S.E. of Osmington; and 748820 N. of West Ringstead. Lengths vary from 130 yds. to 220 yds., widths of treads from 3 yds. to 50 yds., heights of risers from 1 ft. to 30 ft. Slopes along treads are up to 16° and across them up to 10°.

Broad ridge-and-furrow with ridges about 11 yds. wide and gently curved in plan occurs over about 15 acres near 719834 and with ridges 8 yds. wide around 748820.'

<2> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 10-JUL-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<3> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 4448-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11757.

<4> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454444 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 12:26PM