Monument record MDO40765 - Historic field boundaries, Little Canford, Colehill, Ferndown Town

Ditched linear and curvilinear features on the north side of Old Ham Lane, Little Canford, are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features are presumed to be historic field boundaries of medieval and/or post medieval origin. The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

Ditched linear and curvilinear features on the north side of Old Ham Lane, Little Canford, are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1).

The features comprise some long rectilinear features set parallel and perpendicular to each other. In addition to these are some more curvilinear features, which together form an irregular enclosure. Some features correspond with relict field boundaries indicated on the OS 1st Edition map by dispersed rows of trees (2). The irregular enclosure respects an area of possible post medieval narrow ridge and furrow (MDO40763).

The features are presumed to be historic field boundaries representing separate phases of enclosure; the irregular field and some further boundaries adjoining its west side appears to pre-date three longer rectilinear and perpendicular boundaries which partly overlie it (1). It is likely that the more irregular boundaries may be medieval in origin, whilst the more regular rectilinear boundaries are more likely to be post medieval or later in date.

The site is partly under housing on Henbest Close and partly still within open fields on current Google Earth imagery. Some features are no longer visible but the irregular enclosure is still partially visible on 2014 Google Earth imagery (3). The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

<1> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-46, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RS 4106-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15935.

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

<3> Google Earth, 2014, Google Earth 2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15450.

Record last edited

Apr 24 2018 3:31PM