Monument record MDO39627 - Probable post medieval or early 20th century field boundaries, Hurn Airfield, Hurn, Christchurch

Banked field boundaries on the northwest edge of Hurn Airfield are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. These are likely to be post medieval in origin, although an early 20th century date is possible. The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

Banked field boundaries on the northwest edge of Hurn Airfield are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1). These are likely to be post medieval in origin, although an early 20th century date is possible.

A long linear banked boundary on a southeast to northwest alignment extends for 168m towards the northwest perimeter of the airfield and continues on this alignment for 356m within the airfield, broken only by an airfield access road to one of the hangars (1). The straight rectinilear form of the boundary indicates a probable post medieval field boundary associated with intake of the heathland, possibly by the late 19th century or early 20th century.

To the north of this long banked boundary are two short sections of bank set at around 120 degree angle to each other and split by an early 20th century footpath associated with the airfield. These two sections of bank may also be airfield-related but could possibly be two older sections of surviving field boundary or enclosure boundary.

The boundaries are no longer visible by 1988 as a result of alterations and extension to this northwest area of Hurn airfield by this time (2), although it is possible that some central sections of the long boundary survive below an area of tree cover, which current Google Earth imagery shows to still remain (3).

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

<3> Google Earth, 2017, Google Earth 2017 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15388.

Record last edited

Oct 10 2017 11:05AM