Monument record MDO244 - Medieval field system, Bincombe

A medieval field system consisting of medieval strip lynchets, strip field boundaries and cultivation marks is visible a earthworks on aerial photographs.

Centred at SY 681847. A Medieval type field system.

A-SY68348474 - in the eastern half of the field are pronounced field banks and lynchet-like slopes forming small enclosures. Comparable to Medieval depopulated village earthworks.
B-SY 67908496 - pronounced strip lynchets forming cultivation terraces under pasture and plough.
C-SY 68018475 - weak and irregular strip lynchets much broken up.
D-SY 67828460 - pronounced single contour-following lynchet.
E-SY 68358456 - weak strip lynchets and field banks.
See air photograph CPE/UK/1824/3332. <1>

Strip lynchets shown on plan but not described in text. (See plan with SY 68 SE 42) (2)

'A' The only features surviving in the field referred to by authority 1 are two, poorly defined, roughly rectangular terraces centred at SY 68408474. They are situated in an elevated position on the edge of the village and may be building platforms but there is no evidence to suggest a date. Not mentioned by RCHM.
'B'. These lynchets are described under Site SY 68 NE 47.
'C'. Ploughed out.
'D'. Lynchet remains in good condition.
'E'. Ploughed out. <3>

A medieval field system comprising medieval strip lynchets, strip field boundaries and cultivation marks is visible a earthworks on aerial photographs <4-6> between The Knoll and Bincombe. The features are associated with the shrunken village earthworks described in MDO322 and were digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

<1> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 30-DEC-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 23-24 (Monograph). SDO148.

‘(11) STRIP FIELDS (Figs. pp. 24, 484; Plates 70, 72, 216). Remains of strip cultivation in Bincombe and Sutton Poyntz are widespread; in outlying places this cultivation may have altered earlier field patterns (e.g. on Bincombe Hill, see Ancient Field Group (8)). Much has been destroyed by quarrying but the present obvious remains are complemented by slight traces visible on air photographs or from the ground. The position of outcropping rock in risers suggests that some of the strip lynchets were deliberately constructed for at least part of their length. Treads generally slope downwards in cross section, with interesting exceptions in Coombe Bottom furlong, and their ends are ramped, 'drawnout' or quarter-round. The open fields of Bincombe were finally enclosed in 1827 when South Field lay S. of the village, Middle Field was immediately S. of Bincombe Down and North Field lay just N. of Bincombe Hill. Faint traces of strip-field remains in the former Middle and North Fields are visible on air photographs. Almost all the strip fields remaining were cultivated at least into the 19th century but are now mostly in pasture. (R.A.F. V.A.P. CPE/UK 1821: 4453, 6445–7; Enclosure Maps of Preston and Sutton Poyntz, 1794, and of Bincombe, 1827, in D.C.R.O., show furlong names (see plan p. 24).
(a) Strip lynchets of the former Bincombe parish cover some 60 acres S.W. and S.E. of Lower Bincombe Farm (around 675850) and S.E. of the village (around 688840 and 686835; Plate 70). In the former South Field two blocks make a butt junction at right angles and a series curves S.E. to the line of the former parish boundary with Preston and Sutton Poyntz, which in 1794 ran in zigzags. At 68848400 an isolated strip lynchet curves uphill and E. as if to avoid a hollow, probably an ancient quarry. Widths of treads vary from 4 yds. to 18 yds. and riser heights from 3 ft. to 16 ft. Limestone is seen outcropping in the faces of some risers (cf. on Green Hill, below). Many treads are overlaid with narrow rig. A mound (75) has been trimmed by strip cultivation S.E. of Lower Bincombe Farm.’

<3> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 23-SEP-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<4> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 4299-300 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11961.

<5> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3332-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11962.

<6> 2006, LiDAR D0059941 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11963.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452703 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 8 2023 5:07PM