Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Shallow earthworks are visible across an extensive area of the Wickhambreaux Valley on 1940s aerial photographs. They are interpreted as elements of a field system created on land reclaimed from the Wantsum Channel from the 11th century onwards. They appear to predate the late post-medieval field layout shown on historic Ordnance Survey mapping.

Monument Types

• BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• DITCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• FIELD SYSTEM (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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Shallow earthworks are visible across an extensive area of the Wickhambreaux Valley on 1940s & 1950s RAF vertical aerial photographs [1-4]. They appear to have been plough-levelled by the mid 1960s Ordnance Survey of the area [5].

The earthworks are composed of a dense network of interlinked banks and ditches covering an area 910m (N-S) x 1000m (E-W). They are interpreted as elements of field systems created on land reclaimed from the Wantsum Channel from the 11th century onwards. Multiple phases may be visible as some features appear to cut others. All features recorded appear to predate the field layout shown on historic Ordnance Survey mapping dating to 1877 [6], itself of probable late post-medieval date, as they demark significantly less regular enclosures and are on a very different alignment. It is possible that some features in the north of the are also related to water management serving the adjacent saltmound (MWX 43125)

A transcription of the features recorded from aerial photography exists within a GIS layer held by this HER [7].

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1858-73, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 1st Edition : 1872-1897, 1877/1:2500 (Map). SWX11831.

<7> Wessex Archaeology, 2009-10, South-East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - Aerial Photographic Transcriptions (Digital archive). SWX15705.

<7> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - (SE RCZAS) Phase 1: National Mapping Programme Report (Unpublished document). SKE25955.

<7> Cornwall Council Historic Environment Projects and Gloucestershire County Council, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Components 1&2: Results of NMP Mapping (Unpublished document). SKE25954.

Sources and further reading

Related records