More information : [TL 7667 7266 - TL 7675 7169 and TL 7721 6927 - TL
7768 6732] Black Ditches [O.E.] [Twice.] (1)
Black Ditches, a boundary (?) ditch and bank now visible in two
sections. Firstly the S. section traceable for 1 1/2 miles
across RISBY POOR'S HEATH to the S. and extending over the
parish boundary. The section along the edge of Long Plantation
takes advantage of the slope above Cavenham Brook. It is lost
in the arable land SE of the Common, though an old hedgerow
continues the line of the dyke nearly to Barrow Bottom.
Secondly, the N. section, 1100 yards in length, lies on
CAVENHAM HEATH and extends from just S. of OAK PLANTATION to
the river LARK.
The date and purpose of the Black ditches are unknown, but they are probably of post - Ro. date. The S. section covers the ICKNIELD WAY to the N and its crossing of the LARK at LACKFORD. (2)
The northern sector, constructed in sandy soil with no
advantage of position, shows a bank much spread and wasted, but
still formidable, and a broad shallow ditch; the southern
(though less well marked, the ditch having been filled in) is
much more imposing. The bank is about 27 feet wide and from 4
to 6 feet above ground level.
A hedge line carries the line of the dyke nearly to Barrow
Bottom; there is little doubt that it originally extended to a
point south of the turnpike road where the clay capping over
the chalk indicates natural forest. This would give a total
length for the dyke of about 4 1/2 miles.
It is difficult to understand why the northern sector was
needed. It might have been supposed that the marshes of the
CAVENHAM BROOK were sufficient protection, or that the brook
might have been utilized as part of the defences, instead of
constructing the bank in front of the brook; unless the sector
were designed to cover the crossing of the Lark at Icklingham.
The name "Black Ditches" arises from the dark sand covered with
old heather along the northern sector. (3)
BLACK DITCHES, a typical Dark Ages boundary earthwork placed
astride the Icknield Way, as described above. There is slight
evidence S. of the Cavenham - Icklingham road that the work was
continuous but all traces have been destroyed by cultivation on
the marshes of the Cavenham Brook.
Published Survey (25" 1904) revised. (4)
Section TL 76677266 - 76777156 is the only portion visible on
APs (5)
No evidence was found on the ground to substantiate the claim
(3) that the earthwork crossed the turnpike (now A45) at Barrow
Bottom. The land here is arable and slopes south south west to
a stream. OS air photograph (a) shows clearly the circles of a
probable Bronze Age barrow group (TL 76 NE 18) but no traces of
a linear earthwork. Thus the likely south terminal would seem
to have been the summit of Twenty Arce Hill (TL 777669). North
from here the line can be seen as a cropmark (OS air photograph
(b)) of the earthwork that was extant circa 1900 (OS 25"). An
old quarry interrupts the line at TL 775680 and a section of
the bank and ditch can be seen in the north face. It measures
12.7m overall; the ditch bottom is 1.3m below ground level and
the bank now 1.4m above ground level (see photo). The earthwork
is then extant for 1350.0m after which a hedgerow perpetuate
the line as far as the Icknield Way, RR 333.
North of here (see 6" TL 77 SE) nothing is visible either on
the ground or on OS air photograph (c) for 1440.0m to where the
probable course crosses a modern road at TL 768713. From then
on the earthwork is extant, although in places ploughed, to its
apparent north terminal at TL 766727. This section measures
19.5m across with a ditch 0.7m deep and a bank 0.9m high.
Published 25" survey revised. (6)
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