Monument record MDO1942 - Cross dyke on Higher Hill, Piddletrenthide

A cross dyke consisting of a bank with a ditch downhill on its south-western side. The dyke may have continued to the south east, but any earthworks here have been ploughed away.

(45) Cross-dyke on Higher Hill runs NNW-SSE (72660218-72710208) for some 130 yds on the NW slope of the ridge, and curves W near its N end. To the SE it now ends against the ridgeway track and any continuation that there may once have been is ploughed out. The bank is 16 ft wide and 1 ft high, the ditch, which lies on the downhill or SW side, is 10 ft wide and 1 ft deep.

Also, a possibly ancient bank and ditch extends from ST 72840235 to ST 72910221 (see plan). Between this feature and the cross dyke are other banks which are probably more recent. <2-3>

ST 72680208 to ST 72660218 This cross dyke remains much as described by RCHM <2> though the southern end has been ploughed out for some 30.0 m reducing it in length to 100.0 m. It consists of a bank 5.0 m wide and 0.3 m high with a ditch 4.0 m wide 0.4 m deep on the south west downhill side. A counter scarp bank 0.2 m high runs along the lip of the ditch for some 54.0 m from the south end.

ST 72920227 to ST 72860235 A second, slighter bank and ditch runs for 102.0 m north northwest to south-southeast. It is 4.0 m wide and 0.3 m high, with a vestigial ditch on the uphill northeast side.

Neither are defensive and like other dykes in the area appear to be associated with the surrounding 'Celtic' field systems.

Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. <4>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1962 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 72670218 - ST 72700207) Cross Dyke

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 220 (Monograph). SDO136.

'(45) Cross-dyke on Higher Hill, runs N.N.W.-S.S.E. (72660218-72710208) for some 130 yds. on the N.W. slope of the ridge, and curves W. near its N. end. To the S.E. it now ends against the ridgeway track and any continuation that there may once have been is ploughed out. The bank is 16 ft. wide and 1 ft. high; the ditch, which lies on the down hill or S.W. side , is 10 ft. wide and 1 ft. deep.'

<3> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1975 1037-38, 1038 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17541.

<3.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1975 1039-40, 1039 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17527.

<4> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F1 GB 08-NOV-78 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 202015 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 24 2022 8:34AM