Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A series of linear earthworks are visible lying south of the railway line near Stewart's Folly on 1940s aerial photographs. They include ditch and bank which appear to be fragments of an field system earlier than that shown on historic Ordnance Survey mapping and may be of medieval or early post-medieval date.

A further ditch is also visible and appears to be a previously recorded element of the mapped post-medieval field system. Examination of recent aerial photography does not show conclusively whether these features remain as earthworks

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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A series of linear earthworks are visible lying immediately south of the railway line near Stewart's Folly on 1940s RAF vertical aerial photographs [1].

A bank is visible following a slightly sinuous course roughly parallel to a field drain for c.270m, aligned SW-NE. It is c.8m wide, has an apparent break close to its southern end and is cut through by two field drains. It is probable that the feature was formerly more extensive as its both of its ends appear to be artificial, it northern end truncated by the railway line and its southern end by a field drain. A ditch, c.4m wide, springs off the bank c.60m from its northern end and follows a SE-NW aligned course for c.20m before running into the field drain. These features are on a different alignment to the field system shown on historic maps of the area which is of probable post-medieval date [2]. They may represent fragments of an earlier system and, as such, may be of medieval or early post-medieval date.

A further ditch is visible lying north of these feature. It is c.3m wide and runs for c.140m on a SE-NW alignment between two field drains. Although the feature is not shown on the historic Ordnance Survey mapping, it appears to be part of the mapped field system as it shares a similar alignment and appears to run into the adjacent boundaries. It is therefore likely to be post-medieval in date.

Examination of recent aerial photography does not show conclusively whether these features remain as earthworks [3].

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

<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_TR3357_2007-04-22.jpg (Graphic material). SWX15711.

<4> Wessex Archaeology, 2009-10, South-East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - Aerial Photographic Transcriptions (Digital archive). SWX15705.

<4> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - (SE RCZAS) Phase 1: National Mapping Programme Report (Unpublished document). SKE25955.

<4> 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