Monument record MDO37388 - Sub-rectangular enclosure 650 metres east of Bishops Court Farm, Shapwick

A small sub-rectangular enclosure with rounded corners visible on aerial photographs dated 2009. The enclosure was digitially recorded during the Dorset Middle Stour AI&M project. A linear ditch runs externally from the middle of the western side towards the linear boundary described in MDO37389 before turning NNE to run parallel with it; the two features are likely to be contemporary. The record for this monument has been created with support from Wessex Water.

An enclosure and a linear are visible as cropmarks on air photographs taken April 15th 2002. The enclosure seems more or less square, though only 2 sides are defined by a ditch. A third side has a ditch for half its length, this ditch then turning a right angle and continuing a short distance before turning again, effectively giving the appearance of a large number 5. Passing west of the enclosure in a sw-ne direction is a linear ditch which clearly continues for some distance in both directions. However, there is a gap or entrance through it close to the enclosure. (1)

A sub-rectangular enclosure visible as a cropmark measuring approximately 50 metres south east - north west by 42 metres north east - south west on aerial photographs dated 2009. The north, east and south corners are rounded; the west corner is too indistinct to be certain. No entrance could be identified with certainty, but this may lie on the poorly defined north eastern or south western sides. No internal features could be discerned.

The enclosure was digitially recorded from NMR photographs taken in 2001/2 during the Dorset Middle Stour AI&M project (3-4). It is 47m by 39m in size. A linear ditch runs externally from the middle of the western side towards the linear boundary described in MDO37389 before turning NNE to run parallel with it; the two features are likely to be contemporary.

<1> 15-APR-2002, NMR 21628/04 ST 9402/13 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19400.

<2> Dorset County Council, 2009, Digital vertical aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDO12079.

<3> National Monuments Record, 25-JUL-2001, NMR 21352/05 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18321.

<4> National Monuments Record, 15-APR-2005, NMR 21628/05 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18322.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1403299 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 13 2023 12:05PM