Monument record MDO4731 - Late Iron Age ditch, Spetisbury

One of two ditches recorded during observation of work on the Sturminster Marshall to Blandford St Mary Main in 1991. The ditches were aligned north-east to south-west, about 7 metres apart and apparently parallel to each other. No dating evidence was found but the archaeologists on site felt that they were most likely to be late Iron Age in date and probably associated with the nearby hillfort of Spettisbury Rings.

<1> Hearne, C M, 1991, Sturminster Marshall to Blandford St Mary Main. Archaeological Watching Brief (Unpublished document). SDO205.

'3.3 Pipe-Trenching Monitoring … Plot 12 - Ditch/scoop 103 (*), aligned north-east to south-west: 750mm deep, 4m wide with rounded profile, no finds. Ditch 105 (*), aligned north-east to south-west, 500mm deep with V-shaped profile, 1.5m wide. This ditch lies 7m west of ditch/scoop 103. …

5 Discussion … None of the features recorded on the pipeline can definitely be assigned to a later prehistoric date. However, the proximity of the two ditches recorded in Plot 12 to Spetisbury Rings (and their dimensions/profile) suggest that they are of late Iron Age date and probably associated with the hillfort itself.'

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1992, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1991, 168-169 (Serial). SDO91.

‘OBSERVATIONS ON A PIPELINE: STURMINSTER MARSHALL TO BLANDFORD ST MARY
. . . Two ditches located close to Spetisbury Rings (ST91350218) could not be dated but their profiles and dimensions suggested that they were probably of late Iron Age date and most likely associated with the hillfort.’

Record last edited

Nov 26 2014 1:12PM