Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Two inter-linked ditches are visible as earthworks on 1940s aerial photography. Recent aerial photography indicates that they have now been plough-levelled. They are similar to those belonging to the field layout shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map, likely to be of post-medieval date, and appear to represent previously unrecorded subdivisions of this system.

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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Two inter-linked ditches are visible as earthworks on 1940s RAF vertical aerial photography [1].

The more extensive of the two ditches runs east-north-eastwards from a field corner on a slightly sinuous alignment for c.315m. A section of the ditch, c.40m in length, appears to have been removed by development at the sewage works. The other ditch runs southwards off the main ditch, at a right angle to its course, for 40m and stops at a field boundary. Both ditches are c.4m wide.

These features are similar, both in terns of alignment and dimensions, to those belonging to the field layout shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map and probably represent previously unrecorded elements of this system [3]. This field system is very rectilinear and likely to be of post-medieval date, it may also derive from land reclaimed from the Wantsum Channel.

Recent aerial photography indicates that the ditches have since been plough-levelled [3-4].

A transcription of the features recorded from aerial photography exists within a GIS layer held by this HER [4].

Recent aerial photography indicates that they have now been plough-levelled [3-4]. They are similar to those belonging to the field layout shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map and appear to represent previously unrecorded subdivisions of this system. This field system is likely to be of post-medieval date and may also derive from land reclaimed

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1858-73, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 1st Edition : 1872-1897 (Map). SWX11831.

<3> Next Perspectives consortium via English Heritage, 2003, 2007, Next Perspective PGA georeferenced aerial photograph data, Tile Ref: PGA_TR3456_2003-08-14 (Graphic material). SWX15711.

<4> Next Perspectives consortium via English Heritage, 2003, 2007, Next Perspective PGA georeferenced aerial photograph data, Tile Ref: PGA_TR3556_2003-08-14 (Graphic material). SWX15711.

<5> Wessex Archaeology, 2009-10, South-East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - Aerial Photographic Transcriptions (Digital archive). SWX15705.

<5> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - (SE RCZAS) Phase 1: National Mapping Programme Report (Unpublished document). SKE25955.

<5> 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