| Summary : Part of an extensive Prehistoric or Roman field system is visible on aerial photographs as earthworks and cropmarks. The field system consists of a series of banks, generally running in a northeasterly direction which extend for 2150m from the northwest to the south east. The northern most area of the field system is visible as two massive earthwork banks of 480m, which are joined at the eastern end. These are surrounded by a series of smaller banks and ditches, which may belong to the field system or may be re-use in the form of cultivation terraces from the Medieval or Post Medieval settlement of Upham (SU 27 NW 22). Some of the smaller banks lead into a continuation of the field system to the south, and are bisected by a modern road. This part of the system consists of a series of small rectilinear fields which, although they vary in size, measure 105m by 80m. This part of the system covers an area measuring 800m east to west by 610m north to south. The smaller strip fields in this system may imply later re-use by the settlement of Upham (SU 27 NW 22). The southern boundary of this part of the system is visible as a linear bank of 1070m in length, orientated northwest to southeast, of which the southern 800m is double banked forming a hollow way in the centre. This area also appears to show later Medieval or Post-Medieval re-use in the form of a cattle pond which may imply that the field system was utilised for stock at some period. In the centre of this field system is a cross shaped ditch, of unknown use and origin. From the centre of the southern double bank extends another hollow way for a distance of 820m orientated east to west. To the south of this area lies another associated field system which consists of a series of long linear banks up to 1110m in length. One of these encompasses a rectilinear enclosure (SU 27 NW 59) which could to be contemporary or may predate the field system. |
More information : (Centred SU 228762 and SU 235769) Field System (NR)
(twice) (1)
Those areas of field systems shown and described on OS 1" are
visible on St Joseph air-photographs. RAF cover shows
extensions to these areas, very much ploughed down in places
(centred at SU 236 767). (2)
The Celtic field system is still visible on the ground and on
OS AP's, although large parts, especially to the east are
regularly under plough. (3)
The probable Prehistoric or Roman field system, referred to above, is visible and has been mapped from aerial photographs as earthworks and cropmarks including those in reference 2. The field system which is extensive is bounded by the grid references SU 2295 7749, SU 2431 7752, SU 2488 7638, SU 2374 7573. It comprises of a series of banks, generally running in a northeasterly direction which extend for 2150m from the northwest to the southeast and 990m from northeast to southwest. The northernmost area of the field system, centred at SU 2322 7736, is visible as two massive earthwork banks of 480m, which join at the eastern end. These are surrounded by a series of smaller banks and ditches, which may belong to the earlier field system or may be re-use in the form of cultivation terraces from the Medieval or Post Medieval settlement of Upham (SU 27 NW 22). Some of the smaller banks lead into a continuation of the field system to the south and are bisected by a modern road. This part of the system is centred at SU 2364 7697 and consists of a series of small rectilinear fields, which although they vary in size measure 105m by 80m. This part of the field system covers an area measuring 800m east to west and 610m north to south. The size of the fields may suggest a later Medieval or Post Medieval re-use for cultivation or may be the original size. The southern boundary of this part of the system is visible as a linear bank of 1070m in length, orientated northwest to southeast from SU 2332 7700 to SU 24127632, of which the southern 800m is double banked forming a hollow way in the centre. From the centre of this double bank extends another hollow way from SU 2368 7678 to SU 2448 7689, also double banked, for a distance of 820m. This area also appears to show later re-use in the form of a cattle pond of presumably Medieval or Post Medieval date which may infer that the system was being used at some point for stock and not cultivation. Central to this sytem is a cross shaped earthwork centred at SU 2353 7716 formed by two ditches of equal lengths of 13m. This in part resembles a Medieval or Post Medieval windmill platform but lacks the circular ditch around the perimeter as is so often found with such features which could be due to it never being used. The southernmost part of the field system, which is situated due south and connected to the 800m hollow way, is centred at SU 2412 7631, and consists of a series of long linear banks upto 1110m in length. These show no apparent sign of later re-use. One of these banks partly encloses a rectilinear enclosure (SU 27 NW 59) which appears to be contemporary or may predate the field system. (4-12) |