Monument record MDO672 - Prehistoric field system on Middle Hill, Cattistock

Fragments of a Celtic field system on Middle Hill, Cattistock. A series of low banks are visible on aerial photographs and were digitally plotted during the Upper Frome and Sydling Valley AIM project.

A Celtic type cultivation system, and perhaps settlement consisting of a series of banks, some of them well defined. South of the best preserved bank there are traces of sixteen or more sinkings, 3 to 5 yards in diameter, possibly hut circles. Other circles to the east, shown by the Ordnance Survey (see Authority 1) have been destroyed by gravel diggings. <2>

In the area centred at ST 60110036 and cut by a modern road running E to W is a field system of Celtic type lynchets and enclosures. Those north of the road are covered by undergrowth with banks averaging 0.3m high. South of the road the area is under the plough but banks averaging 5.0m wide and 0.5m high are still visible.
"A", centred at ST 60270028. Alleged hut sites destroyed by gravel digging.
"B", centred at ST 60120012. Within a radius of 50m there are circular depressions varying in size from 0.2m to 0.5m deep. They are not banked and do not have entrances, nor was any evidence of habitation revealed. Probably natural sinkings or small gravel diggings. <3>

The whole area of Middle Hill covered by the remains of the Celtic field system is now arable. Extensive plough damage in addition to that caused by the gravel diggings has occurred to the existing field banks and lynchets. The circular depressions noted at ST 60120012 cannot now be identified. (Those field banks and lynchets depicted on OS 25" 1901 which can still be traced, are retained for edge continuity with published plan ST 5900). <5>

A series of low banks are visible on aerial photographs taken and were digitally plotted during the Upper Frome and Sydling Valley AIM project [2-4]. The banks extend further east across Middle Hill and further north onto Charity Bottom than originally recorded. More regular banked earthworks at ST 60079 00197 are recorded on the OS 1st Edition map, which also records the site of a 'British Village' (5). The more regular character of these boundaries may indicate a later, possibly post medieval origin, but this is not certain. The features are cut by a modern trackway.

Field investigation in 1976 confirmed the area was at that time under arable and the field boundaries suffering from plough-damage (NRHE 199172).

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1891 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 60000010) British Village [NR] (Site of) (ST 60400030) Supposed [NAT] Pit Dwellings [NR]

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 73-74 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(17) Cultivation System and perhaps settlement, on Middle Hill ¾ m. E.N.E. of the church, consist of a series of banks, some of them well-defined, representing cultivation of the Celtic type. At one point S. of the best preserved bank are slight traces of sixteen or more sinkings 3 to 5 yards in diam. and possibly representing hut-hollows. The sinkings shown further E. on the O.S. have been destroyed by gravel-digging. The cultivation-system extends into Lankham Bottom.’

<3> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 14-MAY-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1962 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 60110012) Field System (NR)

<5> Stone, J W, Field Investigators Comments JWS, F2 JWS 14-SEP-76 (Unpublished document). SDO11902.

<6> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3382-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16583.

<7> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-47, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FS 2384-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17048.

<8> National Monuments Record, 10-JAN-2007, NMR24507/08-24 (ST 6000/02-13) (Aerial Photograph). SDO17075.

<9> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/088 RCHME Inventory: Dorset I (West) and Revision (Unpublished document). SDO17367.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 199172 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 23 2022 11:40AM