MDE11650 - Undated field boundaries and ditches east of Kentisbury (Monument)

Low banks forming small enclosures were noted on aerial photographs east of Kentisbury. [1-3] A pair of parallel linear features, centred at SS 6241 4382, recorded by [3]. The field at the National Grid Reference cited comprises a very poorly drained area disturbed by both farm vehicle and animal access across it. It is defined on the north side by a shallow valley occupied by a stream, and on the south side by a shallow marshy gulley with steep natural slopes rising to the south. The features comprise a number of parallel banks and ditches running north to south. They are fragmentary and have been interrupted by west to east access across the field. They appear to end on the valley or gully sides at the north and south sides of the field. In detail these earthworks consist of four parallel ditches each averaging 3.5 metres in width and 0.4 metres deep. They appear to mark a former field boundary with accompanying ditches, although this interpretation only goes some way to explaining their complexity. The farmer believes that they are associated with drainage and that a depth of peat exists over some of the field. [4] An agricultural building is shown to be sited in the vicinity of the two earthworks transcribed by McDonnell on the 2018 MasterMap data. [5] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [6]