More information : (SU 140711) Field System (NR) (1)
A 'Celtic' field system covering 300 acres has produced Iron Age and Romano-British finds. Some of the field boundaries are made of sarsens. Within the 'Celtic' fields is a field system of specifically Romano-British character centred at SU 135715. Excavation of this area produced predominantly Romano-British pottery, dating from the late 1st century to the early 2nd century, indicating the fields had a short life, perhaps to meet a temporary need. (2-3)
The field system was mapped at 1:10,000 from APs by the Fyfield Down and Overton Down Mapping Project, and its area was redefined (SU 129715, SU 138705, SU 144706, SU 149711, SU 146718, SU 141717, SU 133721, SU 129715). The earthworks delineating fields and trackways within the field system are well defined, particularly in the central area, and the field system appears to extend to the east onto Manton Down (see also SU 17 SE 86), although here the earthworks have been badly damaged by ploughing. A linear earthwork on Totterdown (SU 17 SW 49) is traditionally taken to be the northwestern limit of this field system; however some slight traces of field banks were recorded on the N side, beyond the presumed boundary. (4-5)
Additional banks, lynchets, enclosures, hollow ways and ditches were seen in a 2006 lidar survey. Field systems were seen continuing to the south-east, at SU 1448 7075. A wide hollow way and other smaller hollow ways were seen coming up into the fields from Clatford Bottom at SU 1419 7046. Banks were seen passing beneath the post medieval settlement at SU 1350 7086 NMR 221802. (6)
|