Monument record MDO789 - Prehistoric field system at Watcombe Bottom and Haydon Hill, Charminster

Prominent lynchets survive in Watcombe Bottom. The features are visible as prominent earthworks on current Environment Agency lidar imagery, extending across Watcombe Bottom and southwards for a distance of around 1.2km. The field system is potentially a continuation of similar features recorded to the north in Godmanstone parish under MDO48708. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle Valleys AIM project.

Prominent lynchets survive in Watcombe Bottom. The features are visible as prominent earthworks on current Environment Agency lidar imagery, extending across Watcombe Bottom and southwards for a distance of around 1.2km [2]. The field system is potentially a continuation of similar features recorded to the north in Godmanstone parish under MDO48708. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle Valleys AIM project.

Some of the later prehistoric boundaries appear potetnially re-used/fossiilsed within the historic field pattern, being shown on the OS 1st Edition map.

<1> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 322 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘GROUP (34): WATCOMBE BOTTOM —HAYDON HILL (Charminster). In the extreme W. of Charminster parish 'Celtic' fields are recognisable in a number of areas totalling about 80 acres, between 300 ft. and 520 ft. above O.D., between Watcombe Bottom (SY 656961) and Haydon Hill (673943). Clay-with-flints partially caps the Chalk in Watcombe Bottom and parts of Haydon Hill are covered in thin gravel. Most of the fields are heavily ploughed, but prominent lynchets survive on Charminster Down and in Watcombe Bottom. The fields are linked with others in Godmanstone and Stratton parishes (cf. Dorset I, Stratton (11), settlements and fields on Grimstone Down ¾ mile W. of Watcombe Bottom.) These fields are related to a probable settlement, (a).

The probable settlement, (a), of Romano-British date, lay on the N., gentler, slope of Watcombe Bottom, in arable ground. Tegulae, imbrices and pottery, with some samian and slip-coated New Forest ware, were scattered for at least 50 yds. about 65759608 (Dorset Procs., 76 (1956), 75). A lynchet ran N.-S. through this area, suggesting that the settlement lay partly over 'Celtic' fields. W. of this, faint traces of probably ditched features appear on air photographs (CPE/UK 2475: 3187–8). A double-lynchet track approached the settlement area from the S. Two 'Celtic' fields across the valley floor E. of this were 22 yds. and 26 yds. wide and up to 150 yds. long. Lynchets reached 11 ft. high at the foot of the steep valley side S. of these.
On the E. shoulder and sides of Haydon Hill, 1 mile S.S.E., 'Celtic' field fragments survive in a thin line extending for 700 yds. S.E. from 668946, by Walls Coppice, 250 yds. S. of the Roman villa, Charminster (29).

Air photographs: CPE/UK 2475: 3185–9 and 4124–5.’

<2> Environment Agency, 16-NOV-2021, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO18034.

Record last edited

Oct 22 2024 12:24PM