Monument record MDO3759 - Lynchets east of Norton Wood, Durweston

Banked linears are visible as low earthworks on lidar imagery in the field to the east of Norton Wood and north of Norton Lane. The features considered likely to be prehistoric field boundaries wth possible medieval reuse. They were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM Project.

Banked linears are visible as low earthworks on lidar imagery in the field to the east of Norton Wood and north of Norton Lane [2]. The features considered likely to be prehistoric field boundaries wth possible medieval reuse. They were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM Project.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 91 (Monograph). SDO146.

‘(12) CULTIVATION REMAINS. It is probable that originally both Durweston and Knighton had separate open fields, but by 1580 there was only one system for both villages (map of Durweston c. 1580, copy in D.C.R.O.); enclosure took place some time after 1580, but before the 19th century.

E. and N. of Norton Wood (853089 and 849091) and S. of Norton Lane (853086) are three blocks of contour strip lynchets up to 400 yds. long and now ploughed down. To W. of Knighton House (854081) on both sides of a dry valley are well-preserved remains of fifteen contour and cross-contour strip lynchets, up to 250 yds. long. The upper three strip lynchets on the S. side of the valley run up to the hill top and fan out; on the resulting wide treads is ridge-and-furrow, 5 yds. to 7 yds. wide. The S.W. part of this group overlies 'Celtic' fields (Group (60)). S.W. of Four Acre Coppice (860074) are five fragmentary contour strip lynchets.’

<2> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

Record last edited

Nov 22 2022 5:49PM