Monument record MDO5299 - Medieval strip lynchets, Winterborne Stickland

A block of four medieval contour strip lynchets surviving as earthworks. Part of the open field system around Winterborne Stickland. A map of 1771 shows these in 'Nether Mitchell Wood Furlong' in North Field. The strip lynchets are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and lidar imagery and were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project. They extend to the east towards Normandy Farm and are part of a wider field system extending to the west and southwest which is likely to be of prehistoric origin.

Fairly well pronounced but very scattered field banks and lynchets under grass. The lynchets are from 0.3m. to 1.5m. high and the field banks average 0.3m. high and 8.0m. wide. <2>

Traces of Iron Age/Roman-British 'Celtic' fields extend north-east from Winterborne Stickland to beyond Normandy Farm (ST 840059), continuing to the parish boundary at ST 842063 and into Bryanston parish. These remains have all been much altered or degraded, especially by strip and later cultivation (see below), and they were formerly much more extensive. A group of four Medieval or later strip lynchets, now almost ploughed out lie on the north side of a dry valley at ST 837056, north-east of Winterborne Stickland church. Another group of four contour-strip lynchets, also almost ploughed out, lies on the south side of a dry valley immediately south-east of New Barn Cottages at ST 830053. <3>

The parallel strip lynchets are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs lidar imagery [6-7] and were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project. They extend to the east towards Normandy Farm and are part of a wider field system extending to the west and southwest which may be of prehistoric origin.

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1968 (Map). SWX1540.

(Centred ST 835054) Field System

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 02-SEP-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 309, 340-1 (Monograph). SDO136.

'(17) CULTIVATION REMAINS. Although the open fields of Winterborne Stickland were not enclosed until 1802 (Enclosure Award, D.C.R.O.) they appear to have been subject to re-organisation in the 18th century. In 1735 they were divided into five separate fields (Map of Milton Abbas and Stickland, D.C.R.O.) but by 1771 the same area had only three fields (Map of Milton Abbas and Stickland by W. Woodward, see above, p 183).

A group of four strip lynchets, now almost ploughed out, lies on the N. side of a dry valley just under ¾ m. N.E. of the church (837056). In 1771 these were in 'Nether Mitchell Wood Furlong' in North Field. ...'

<3.1> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 2166-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17773.

<3.1> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 5164-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17775.

<3.2> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 5164-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17775.

<3.3> Royal Air Force, 1975, RAF/CPE/UK/1975 2022-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17776.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, RCH01/096 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME Inventory: Dorset III (Central): A large collection of archive relating to the RCHME Dorset Inventory Volume III, published in 1970. It contains field surveys and excavation archive. Parish files containing original surveys have been given child collection status.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205585 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<6> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

<7> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 V 5167 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18753.

Record last edited

Oct 10 2023 7:13PM