Monument record MDO1890 - Lynchets, Coombe Bottom, Piddlehinton

A medieval field system with strip lynchets visible as cropmarks on either side of Coombe Bottom. The remains of parallel lynchets are visible as low earthworks on lidar imagery on the north side of Coombe Bottom. They are most extensive at their eastern end immediately to the west of East Farmhouse. Some of the longer lynchets running westward may have earlier prehistoric origins. The site was recorded during the Upper Cerne and Piddle Valleys AIM project.

The open field of Piddlehinton remained unenclosed until 1835 (Enclosure Map and Award). On either side of Coombe Bottom (SY 710971) are slight traces of contour strip lynchets mostly ploughed out and now visible only on air photographs (a). In the east, these strip lynchets run into and over Celtic' fields (see SY 69 NE 12). Until 1835 all the strips lay in West Water Field. <1>

The remains of parallel lynchets are visible as low earthworks on lidar imagery on the north side of Coombe Bottom. They are most extensive at their eastern end immediately to the west of East Farmhouse. Some of the longer lynchets running westward may have earlier prehistoric origins. The site was recorded during the Upper Cerne and Piddle Valleys AIM project. <3>

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 212 (Monograph). SDO136.

'(14) CULTIVATION REMAINS. The open fields of Piddlehinton remained unenclosed until 1835 (Enclosure Map and Award, D.C.R.O.). On either side of Coombe Bottom (710971) are slight traces of contour strip lynchets, mostly ploughed out and now visible only on air photographs (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1974: 1368). In the E., these strip lynchets run into and over 'Celtic' fields (see below, Group (35), p. 322). Until 1835 all the strips lay in West Water Field.
Contour strip lynchets (714965) of the open fields of Combe Deveral manor lie on the N. side of Little Piddle Bottom, 400 yds. W. of (5). The remains are all ploughed out and are only visible on air photographs (R.A.F. CPE/UK 1974: 1367).
A two-field system was in existence at Little Piddle (formerly in Puddletown parish) in the 13th century (S. & D. N. & Q., IX, (1904–5), 147). Contour strip lynchets remain in two places, S.W. and S. of (5), (716964 and 718962); they are damaged by ploughing but have low risers 1 ft. to 3 ft. high.'

<1.1> Royal Air Force, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 1368 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19974.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454810 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<3> Environment Agency, 15-DEC-2023, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO20691.

Record last edited

Oct 21 2024 11:36AM