Monument record MDO39626 - Historic field boundaries, Hurn Airfield, Hurn, Christchurch

Banked field boundaries within the perimeter of Hurn Airfield are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. These are associated with the lost settlement of Greenland and are likely to be post medieval in origin, although an earlier date is possible. The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

Banked field boundaries within the perimeter of Hurn Airfield are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1). These are associated with the settlement of Greenland and are likely to be post medieval in origin, although an earlier date is possible. Greenland is shown on the OS 1st Edition map, comprising two semi-detached buildings within a square enclosure and with an access trackway from the west. The southernmost field boundary is also shown on the 1st Edition map, forming the southern edge of the settlement enclosure (2). The easternmost of the two field boundaries is not shown on the 1st Edition map and may be associated with a later enclosure to the east of Greenland.

The boundaries are extant in 1946, although the buildings shown on the 1st Edition map have been replaced by airfield buildings by this time (1). A late 19th or early 20th century house has been added, with an access trackway from the north. This may be airfield-related but appears more residential in character, possibly associated with an interim residential phase of Greenland (1).

Further alterations to Greenland are evident by 1956; the southernmost field boundary may still be extant but the enclosure boundary to the east is no longer visible by this point (3).

By 1988 only the central house remains extant, enclosed by trees; the southern boundary is still largely extant. The additional early 20th century airfield buildings have been demolished (4).

The site has been completely demolished by 1992 (5) and remains under open grass within Bournemouth Hurn airport on current Google Earth imagery 6).

The field boundaries were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-46, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RS 4169-70 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15466.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1864, 1886, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, epoch one (Map). SDO10239.

<3> Royal Air Force, 25-JAN-56, RAF/540/1789 V 26-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15477.

<4> Royal Air Force, 03-AUG-88, OS/88209 V 292-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15521.

<5> Royal Air Force, 15-JUN-92, OS/92200 V 164-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15528.

<6> Google Earth, 2017, Google Earth 2017 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15388.

Record last edited

Oct 10 2017 11:13AM