Monument record MDO5594 - Prehistoric field system, Gussage All Saints

Traces of a field system of later prehistoric and/or Roman date visible as cropmarks on air photographs, spread across Harley Down, Tenantry Down, Brockington Down and Gussage Down. On the west, the fields and associated features appear to pre-date the Ackling Dyke Roman road. An area of late prehistoric field system on Harley Down is visible as earthworks on 2015 Lidar imagery and is faintly distinguishable on 1940s aerial photographs. The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

(Centred SU 007126) Field system plotted from air photographs. <2>

Iron Age/Romano-British type lynchets are visible on the ground at SU 012129 and SU 010125; average height 0.4m. <3>

'Celtic' fields on Harley Down, Tenantry Down and Brockington Down are part of a group of fields covering the low ridge between the Gussage Brook and the headwaters of the River Allen. They appear to be integrated with a linear dyke south of Tenantry Down (SU 01 SW 11). <4>

A rapid examination of air photography <6.1> suggests the presence of a field system, visible as cropmarks in fields north of Gussage All saints, more irregular than some 'celtic' field systems. The field boundaries link with two trackways and seem to underlay Ackling Dyke Roman road. At the southern end of the system, a number of pits and rectilinear enclosures besides the trackways suggest a settlement site. All the features are probably of Prehistoric or Roman date. <6>

An extensive field system examined by MPPA. Much reduced by ploughing and not recommended for scheduling. Ground photo with archive report. <7>

'Group (82): Thorney Down – Gussage Down – Harley Down – Tenantry Down – Brockington Down (Gussage All Saints, Gussage St. Michael, Sixpenny Handley). ‘Celtic’ fields cover much of the top and flanks of the low ridge between the Gussage Brook and the headwaters of the R. Allen. From just S. of Sixpenny Handley they extend almost without interruption for over 3 miles to Brockington Down (000165-995118-014116). Much of the area was formerly downland pasture, but it is now extensively cultivated and most of the field remains have been levelled.
On Gussage Hill the ‘Celtic’ fields, many of them irregular in shape, are clearly integrated with an Iron Age and Romano-British settlement (Gussage St Michael 7, plan opp. P. 24) and immediately N.E. of it they make use of the earlier earthworks of the Dorset Cursus. Fields are also integrated with another enclosure (Gussage St Michael 8, see Plate 54), probably of the Iron Age, and apparently with a linear dyke (Gussage All Saints 21). They appear not to have intruded on the concentration of barrows on Wyke Down.

Air photographs: F21/58RAF/1090; 0115-20, 0140-47; F22/58RAF/1090: 0141; CPE/UK1845: 6048-9; 68/3250: 0057-8; CPE/UK 2038: 3197-8; N.M.R., ST 9914/7, 14.' <10-13>

An area of late prehistoric field system on Harley Down is visible as earthworks on current Lidar imagery and is faintly distinguishable on 1940s aerial photographs <1>. The features may also be associated with a late prehistoric dyke (MDO5545) and further linear trackways, enclosures and pits on Tenantry Down (MDO40449 and MDO40452), although the contemporaneity of these features is less certain.

The features comprise linear banked earthworks both curvilinear and rectilinear in form that together form a number of irregular enclosures spanning an area broadly 720m long by 430m deep. The field system may be part of a wider area of prehistoric fields, although it is possible that some of these fields are later Roman in date; further features to the south are recorded under MDOs 39859 and 39860 and to the north (MDO40467) and east (MDO40472). The features at Gussage All Saints (MDO39859) appear to overlie and therefore post-date the 'Gussage 2' enclosures (MDO32395; MDO32402), indicating a late Roman date.

It is also possible that similar features to the east (MDO40351 and MDO40352) may also be part of a wider area of prehistoric activity in this area, although some of those features may be later, possibly medieval in date.

The features were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

<1> Royal Air Force, 27-APR-47, RAF/CPE/UK/2038 RS 4106-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15822.

<2> Atkinson, R J C, Annotated Record Map Private 6 Sheet (R J C Atkinson Undated), Corr 6" (R J C Atkinson 1.5.49) (Map). SWX1667.

<3> Rigg, J, Field Investigators Comments JR, F1 JR 27-MAR-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1255.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 118, Gp 82 (Monograph). SDO129.

<5> Bowen, H C, 1990, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke, Area Plan 2 (Monograph). SWX800.

<6> Miller, Andrew, RCHME/EH/HE Aerial Photographers comment AM, Andrew Miller/04-FEB-1993/RCHME: AP Primary Recording Project (Verbal communication). SDO17356.

<6.1> National Monuments Record, NMR 4349: 01-5, 21; NMR 4348: 35-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19003.

<7> English Heritage, English Heritage Alternative Action Report, Anon, undated (Scheduling record). SDO18279.

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, Object Number: 884199. (Index). SDO14738.

Object Title: RCHME: Gussage Hill Settlement, Gussage All Saints, Dorset.

<9> XX-XXX-2015, Environment Agency DTM Lidar 1m (Aerial Photograph). SDO15442.

<10> Royal Air Force, F21/58RAF/1090; 0115-20, 0140-47 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19005.

<11> Royal Air Force, F22/58RAF/1090: 0141 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19006.

<12> Royal Air Force, CPE/UK1845: 6048-9; 68/3250: 0057-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19007.

<13> Royal Air Force, CPE/UK 2038: 3197-8; N.M.R., ST 9914/7, 14 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19008.

<14> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213767 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 12 2022 11:07AM