Monument record MDO5999 - Bank and ditch, Shapwick

Possibly originally part of an enclosure. Excavation prior to levelling of the earthwork in 1965 revcealed a Bronze Age palisade ditch overlain by an Iron Age ('Iron Age B') bank. This bank was enlaged, and its associated ditch deepened in the period prior to the Roman occupation. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

Full report of the 1965 excavation. Re-examination of the 1965 excavation report concludes that a late Neolithic or early Bronze Age linear bank and ditch was suceeded by a two phase palisaded - enclosure which probably went out of use in the late Bronze Age. Only 2 sherds of Iron Age pottery and considerable amounts of Roman pottery were recorded, but these were from post-occupation contexts. Beaker pottery was found in small pits within the enclosed area. <3>

The bank and ditch is almost certainly part of a linear arrangement, as is indicated by the continuation of the main ditch from both ends and the suggestion that it joined linear [ST 90 SW 18], south west of it, with a bank on the same side of the ditch. Its history and form at this point have particular importance: it is locally protuberant in plan; it appears to be built on a Middle Bronze Age line; there was a probable entrance where the ditch was interrupted by a narrow causeway; it is ultimately developed in part (perhaps unfinished ?) to hill-fort proportions with a ditch 13 feet (4 m) deep; a ballista bolt found on the tail of the bank could be connected with events leading to the establishment of the probable Roman fort [ST 90 SW 33].

The excavated sections and plan, prior to excavation, strongly suggest that the palisade trench could have been clearly visible, at least as a shallow ditch line between low banks, when the apparently Iron Age bank was built along and over it. [Detailed plan and sections. Discussion of the bank in relation to Bokerley Dyke]. <4-5>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1966, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1965, 101-2 (Serial). SDO65.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 63 (Monograph). SDO129.

'(35) Bank and Ditch (95600301), possibly part of an enclosure, some 600 yds. W. of (34) and immediately N.E. of the Blandford-Wimborne road, was examined by excavation in 1965 before it was levelled. A Bronze Age palisade trench was found to be overlaid by an Iron Age 'B' bank, with a ditch 5½ ft. deep on its N. side. The earthwork had been enlarged to fully defensive proportions shortly before the Roman occupation and the ditch had been deepened to 13 ft. (Dorset Procs., 87 (1965), 101-2).'

<3> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1988, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1987, 65-78 (Serial). SDO87.

<4> Bowen, H C, 1990, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke, 45-6 (Monograph). SWX800.

<5> Bowen, H C, 1991, The Archaeology of Bokerley Dyke: Inventory, 2 (Monograph). SDO14864.

<6> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1990, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1989, 105-106 (Serial). SDO89.

<6> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1990, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1989, 105-106 (Serial). SDO89.

<7> Papworth, M, 1994, Shapwick Parish, Kingston Lacy Estate, Wessex Region, 51 (Unpublished document). SDO14228.

A Middle Bronze Age boundary is partially visible as a bank and ditch on aerial photograph RAF CPE/UK/1934:1108. It was excavated in 1965 following the discovery of two burials in the top of the bank after part of it was ploughed for the first time. The latest of three ditch cuts was found to be 3m wide and 4m deep. The feature was probably constructed for defence. It overlay settlement features of Neolithic and Beaker date. Gingell (1987) reinterpreted the site as Bronze Age after Vatcher's (1965) conclusions that the earthwork was completed shortly before the Roman conquest. The bank of the earthwork is just traceable on the ground. The site may continue as a hedge bank to the east of the excavated area flanking the north side of the Blandford Road. Part of the site was excavated in 1989, it was found to continue S. of the Blandford Road and is visible as a soil mark for a further 500m to the SW where it approaches 112,732

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 906577 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Shapwick 35 Hill-fort, Dorset. Composite of 4 sections across rampart and ditch.

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 907039 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Shapwick 35 Settlement, Dorset. Sketch survey.

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 907150 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Shapwick 35, Dorset. Composite 4 excavation sections.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 209555 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2023 5:06PM