Monument record MDO5324 - Medieval cultivation remains, Winterborne Whitechurch

An extensive system of medieval cultivation marks are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and lidar imagery in fields to the west of Higher Whatcombe. They were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

An extensive system of medieval cultivation marks are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and lidar imagery in fields to the west of Higher Whatcombe. They cover an area of 13 hectares and were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM.

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 313 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(18) Cultivation remains. The date of the enclosure of the three open field systems in the parish is unknown. Strip fields of Whatcombe remain in two places: on either side of the Winterborne brook and around Higher Whatcombe. To the W. of Whatcombe Farm (around 836059) four furlong blocks of flat strips at right-angles to one another cover some 15 acres; the strips are 20 yds. to 30 yds. wide and are bounded by low banks. N.E. and S.E. of Whatcombe Farm (840020 and 842015) are the fragmentary remains of at least ten strip lynchets.
Strip fields of La Lee formerly existed in two places. In Whatcombe Park (839013) some 30 acres of narrow-rig lay over, and partially obliterated, ridge-and-furrow 5 yds. to 7 yds. wide (R.A.F., CPE/UK 1934: 3118-9). To the E. of Lower Whatcombe along the sides of a dry combe are the fragmentary remains of contour strip lynchets; air photographs show further traces to the S. and E.
The strip fields of Whitechurch remain in two places: to the S. of Lower Street (841990) there is a small area of ridge-and-furrow 7 yds. to 9 yds. wide, and to the W. of West Farm (837997) are the fragmentary remains of flat strips 30 yds. to 60 yds. wide, bounded by low banks.’

Record last edited

Jun 28 2023 9:51AM