MMO1845 - Medieval field system west of Bromham Farm (Monument)

Several medieval field boundaries with associated ridge and furrow are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1952. These features and others in the area (see MMO1843 and MMO1842) indicate a medieval phase of settlement here.

Several medieval field boundaries with associated ridge and furrow are visible on aerial photographs as earthworks in fields to the west of Bomham Farm. Centred at approximately SS 8591 4538 three curvilinear boundaries are visible, running north-south and curving in an S-shape towards the west. They vary in length from 110 to 150 metres long and are between 1 and 2 metres wide. They appear to divide the extant fields into narrow strip fields. Between the field boundaries are several areas of levelled ridge and furrow. To the west of the system, the ridge and furrow runs north to south, curving in an S-shape parallel to the boundaries described above. In the east, however, the ridge and furrow runs east-west and curves parallel to the extant field boundaries. The distance between the rig is approximately 4 metres, similar to that recorded under MMO1843. The boundaries are not depicted on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map, suggesting they were abandoned to create larger fields prior to the publication of the map. These features and others in the area (see MMO1843 and MMO1842) indicate a medieval phase of settlement on and around Bromham Farm. [1-3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]