Monument record MDO4915 - Field System, Tarrant Gunville

Iron Age or Romano British field system overlain by Medieval strip lynchets at Tarrant Gunville. The field systems have been virtually destroyed by modern cultivation.

(ST 910145) 'Celtic' fields, flattened by intensive cultivation, occur over much of the north west part of Tarrant Gunville. They covered much of Earl's Hill at ST 907 142 but few complete fields now remain visible, especially on the lower slopes where the 'Celtic' lynchets have been largely removed by Medieval and later strip cultivation. 'Celtic' fields also covered most of the spur between Stubhampton Bottom and Ashmore Bottom (around ST914147). Though much damaged a number of large fields up to 150 yards by 80 yards appear to have existed as well as smaller ones. <3>

(Centred ST 910145) Field System. <1>

The formerly extensive 'celtic' field system which covered large tracts of Earl's Hill at ST 907 142 and Holme's Common at ST 914 146 has been virtually destroyed by modern cultivation methods and can now only be vaguely interpreted from OS air photographs <4.1-4.2>. However, a small remnant of the system does survive at ST 9098 1475 (approximately) along the edge of cultivated land on Holme's Common where the well preserved 'staggered angles' of four 'celtic' fields are represented by turf covered lynchets between 1 metre and 2 metres high. Surviving field sides are from 40 metres to 65 metres in length (see sketch survey). The remains of a hollow way approximately 100 metres long, runs northwards from Stubhampton Bottom to the west side of the surviving system. Sketch survey at approx 1:2500 on OS 495. <2>

Centred at ST 9100 1445 are strip lynchets of Medieval type extending in pastureland for about 500 metres along the fairly steep north west facing combe side. The terraces, five in number, average 20 metres wide and 1.5 metres high and are now considerably smoothed by modern ploughing. Poorly defined on OS air photographs <4.1-4.2>. <4>

National Record of the Historic Environment, 210167 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1> Royal Air Force, RAF CPE/UK/2038 3074-76 27 4 6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19188.

<2> Atkinson, R J C, 1949, Annotated Record Map Rec. 6 (R J C Atkinson 1 3 49), Corr 6" R J C Atkinson 1.3.49 (Map). SWX2397.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 120 (Monograph). SDO99.

<4> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F1 GB 27-JAN-78 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<4.1> Ordnance Survey, OS 75-371 093 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18499.

<4.2> Ordnance Survey, OS 75-371 094 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18509.

Record last edited

Jul 22 2024 12:57PM