MMO441 - Medieval field system at Culver Lane (Monument)

A large number of well preserved medieval strip lynchets and field boundaries can be seen as earthworks. Areas of levelled ridge and furrow ploughing can also be seen on aerial photographs, suggesting a medieval date.

Earthworks of lynchets are visible in low sunlight. [1-4] The earthworks of lynchets were identified by Mick Aston and recorded in the county SMR (PRN 34266). Two lynchets lie at ST 0105 4130, in an improved pasture field. They extend for about 200 metres across the hillside with 15 metres between the lynchets, which are about 1 metre high. Three lynchets lie in improved pasture, on a very steep slope, centred at ST 0120 4130. They are 8 to 10 metre apart and some 1 to 1.6 metres high. A flight of three lynchets are centred at ST 0140 4110. They lie on a very steep slope and are 1.8 metres high and 6 metres apart. The lynchets are preserved as field boundaries, giving two very long, narrow strip fields. All of the above are accessed via Culver Lane, a very steep and deep hollow way, which runs from the village of Withycombe up to the commons of Withycombe Hill. [5] The lynchets described above are clearly visible on aerial photographs, situated on the north side of Culver Lane, Withycombe. Additional features can also be seen on the south side of the lane, centred at approximately ST 0083 4122. These are less well preserved, and are best viewed on oblique photography. A number of curvilinear, S shaped lynchets are visible, the majority running north to south. In places they are cut by narrow boundaries running east to west. An area of levelled ridge and furrow ploughing can be seen south of these, centred at ST 0094 4102, along with several irregular narrow banks. It seems likely that this area was extensively exploited during the medieval period, before being utilised for gravel extraction during the post-medieval period (MMO2470). [6-8]