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Monument details

HER Number:MWX43163
Type of record:Monument
Name:Boundary earthworks, Wickhambreaux/Stourmouth Valley

Summary

Shallow earthworks are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. They are interpreted as elements of a field system and ditch 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.


Grid Reference:TR 24897 63591
Map Sheet:TR26SW
Parish:CHISLET, CANTERBURY, KENT

Monument Types

  • 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 on 1940s RAF vertical aerial photographs [1]. Examination of modern aerial photographs indicates that they have been plough-levelled [2].

The earthworks are composed of a two interlinked sinuous ditches, one aligned NW-SE and 190m long the other is roughly perpendicular to this and 140m long. They are interpreted as elements of field systems created on land reclaimed from the Wantsum Channel from the 11th century onwards. All features recorded appear to predate the field layout shown on historic Ordnance Survey mapping, itself of probable late post-medieval date, as they demark significantly less regular enclosures and are on a very different alignment.

A transcription of the features recorded from aerial photography exists within a GIS layer held by this HER [3].


<2> Google Earth (Graphic material). SWX15704.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2009-10, South-East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - Aerial Photographic Transcriptions (Digital archive). SWX15705.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - (SE RCZAS) Phase 1: National Mapping Programme Report (Unpublished document). SKE25955.

<3> 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South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Components 1&2: Results of NMP Mapping (Unpublished document).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

Cross-ref. Source description
<2>Graphic material: Google Earth.
<3>Unpublished document: Cornwall Council Historic Environment Projects and Gloucestershire County Council. 2011.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.
<3>Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2011. South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - (SE RCZAS) Phase 1: National Mapping Programme Report.
<3>Digital archive: Wessex Archaeology. 2009-10. South-East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - Aerial Photographic Transcriptions.