MMO1578 - Post-medieval ridge and furrow east of Lower Horridge Wood (Monument)

An extensive area of ridge and furrow of possible medieval or post-medieval date is visible on aerial photographs as cropmarks in Selworthy parish, bounded on the east by Lower Horridge Wood and the north by the copse known as No-Man's Land. The fan shaped pattern of cropmarks cover an irregularly shaped area of almost 5 hectares, crossing the line of a field boundary marked on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1889 and still visible on aerial photographs of 1946. The visibility of the cropmarks in a area of field defined by a dog leg of extant boundaries, at circa SS 9044 4598, may indicate that these features were originally more extensive still and predate the extant field system. The curvilinear form of the cropmarks is also reminiscent of the classic reverse-S or J-shaped medieval ridge and furrow. However, the cropmarks are rather narrowly spaced, none appearing further than 4 metres from its neighbour. It is therefore the opinion of this authority that these features result from post-medieval period agricultural improvement activity but that they may perpetuate medieval patterns of land management, superseded by later post-medieval land management. Similarly narrowly spaced ridge and furrow can be seen as earthworks elsewhere in this area (see MMO1575 and MMO1577). [1-3]