Monument record MDO977 - Deserted settlement at Court Close, Dewlish

Medieval settlement shrinkage at Court Close. The settlement was visible as earthworks during the early 1980s, features identified include a possible moated site. The extensive earthworks are visible as low earthworks on lidar imagery and were digitally recorded during the Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle AIM Project.

Court Close (775980), remains of former settlement, lies E, S and SW of the church. The earthworks comprise a large embanked enclosure subdivided by banks and scarps, together with the remains of closes and a small moat (SY 79 NE 48); they cover some 17 acres, on Chalk, on the W side of the valley of the Devil's Brook. The name 'Court Close' appears on the Tithe Map of 1844.

The greater part of the site is occupied by a large rectangular enclosure of 11 acres bounded by banks 25ft to 30ft wide and up to 5ft high, with external ditches on the NE and SW sides only. The enclosure is divided into two parts by a similar bank, with a ditch 2ft deep on the SW side, and is further subivided by low scarps and banks which are secondary to the enclosure and the main dividing bank. The N corner of the enclosure is much disturbed and appears to have been occupied by relatively recent buildings. The remainder of the interior of the enclosure is virtually featureless. Its purpose is unknown, but apart from its larger size it has close similarities in form and position with enclosures at Milborne St Andrew and Charminster.

Immediately SE of the church and adjacent to the NE side of the enclosure are four rectangular closes bounded by scarps 2ft to 5ft high, overlying the ditch of the enclosure on the SW and bounded on the NE by an ill-defined hollow-way which runs NW-SE and continues the line of the present village street to NW. To the NE of this hollow-way are further scarps, much disturbed by quarrying. <2-3>

Village earthworks generally as described by RCHM <2>, and in a good state of preservation.

Re-surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD incorporating RCHM survey. <4>

The earthwork has been particularly badly damaged and part of the moat bankfield in order to facilitate earlier farming. <6>

The extensive earthworks are visible as low earthworks on lidar imagery <13> and were digitally recorded during the Dorset Upper Cerne and Piddle AIM Project. The earthworks immediately to the west of Devil's Brook appear to be a system of water meadows which may be medieval or post medieval.

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(Centred SY 775980) Earthworks (NR)

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 88 (Monograph). SDO146.

‘(7) COURT CLOSE (775980), remains of former settlement, lies E., S. and S.W. of the church (see plan, p. 87 and Plate 130). The earthworks comprise a large embanked enclosure sub-divided by banks and scarps, together with the remains of closes and a small moat; they cover some 17 acres, on Chalk, on the W. side of the valley of the Devil's Brook. The name 'Court Close' appears on the Tithe Map of 1844.

The greater part of the site is occupied by a large rectangular enclosure of 11 acres bounded by banks 25 ft. to 30 ft. wide and up to 5 ft. high, with external ditches on the N.E. and S.W. sides only. The enclosure is divided into two parts by a similar bank, with a ditch 2 ft. deep on the S.W. side, and is further sub-divided by low scarps and banks which are secondary to the enclosure and the main dividing bank. The N. corner of the enclosure is much disturbed and appears to have been occupied by relatively recent buildings. The remainder of the interior of the enclosure is virtually featureless. Its purpose is unknown, but apart from its larger size it has close similarities in form and position with enclosures at Milborne St. Andrew (13) and Charminster (25). To the S.W. of the enclosure is an oval mound (77499796), 2 ft. high with no trace of a ditch. It is probably part of the earthworks to the N.E., rather than a barrow.

Immediately S.E. of the church and adjacent to the N.E. side of the enclosure are four rectangular closes bounded by scarps 2 ft. to 5 ft. high, overlying the ditch of the enclosure on the S.W. and bounded on the N.E. by an ill-defined hollow-way which runs N.W.—S.E. and continues the line of the present village street to N.W. To the N.E. of this hollow-way are further scarps, much disturbed by quarrying.
In the valley bottom immediately E. of the E. corner of the enclosure (77679812) is a small rectangular moat (Class A 1(a)) (fn. 2) with ditches 30 ft. to 40 ft. wide and 3 ft. to 4 ft. deep. The Devil's Brook flows along the S.E. ditch and there is an internal bank 2 ft. to 3 ft. high along the S.W. side of the island. A ditch 25 ft. wide and 2 ft. to 3 ft. deep through the centre is probably associated with the water meadows which cover the valley floor. The moat probably encloses the site of a former manor house.’

<3> Taylor, C C, 1974, Fieldwork in Medieval Archaeology, 107 (Monograph). SDO17547.

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 21-OCT-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<5> Ancient Monuments Board for England, Scotland and Wales, 1982, Annual Report, 23-24 (Serial). SDO20150.

<6> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, Newsletter, 23 June 1984, p (Serial). SDO20151.

<7> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/096 RCHME Inventory: Dorset III (Central), 882085 (Unpublished document). SDO17384.

RCHME: Court Close Settlement Remains, Dorset. Probably a tracing. See also GAM 881019.Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 1, Monument (7).

<8> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 881019 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Court Close, Dewlish, Dorset. Bibliographic References : 1) Pt 1, Monument (7)

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 881434 (Index). SDO14738.

RCHME: Court Close, Dewlish, Dorset. Pencil has been inked over. Inscription: section X-Y on planBibliographic References : 1) Pt 1, Monument (7)

<10> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB76/07699 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF EARTHWORKS INCLUDING BANKS, SCARPS, REMAINS OF CLOSES AND A SMALL MOAT. ENCLOSES A TOTAL OF 17 ACRES

<11> Historic England, Historic England Archive, CC74/00389 (Index). SDO14738.

PLAN OF PART OF EARTHWORKS - REMAINS OF A DMV

<12> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454505 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<13> Environment Agency, 15-DEC-2023, LIDAR Environment Agency DTM (Aerial Photograph). SDO20691.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 7:21PM