MMO2018 - Medieval ridge and furrow south and east of Countisbury Village (Monument)

The earthwork remains of ridge and furrow cultivation can be seen on aerial photographs to the south and east of Countisbury village, centred on circa SS 7488 4974. The earthworks can be seen in two fields, running approximately north to south in a large field to the east of Countisbury, and east to west in a smaller field to the south. Much of the ridge and furrow is slightly sinuous in form, echoing the shape of the field boundaries, which may support an interpretation of a probable medieval date. Some of the earthworks, however, are more regular in form, and it is possible more than a single phase of agricultural activity is represented. By 1952 an area of circa 7500 square metres of ridge and furrow has been destroyed by the creation of a covered reservoir. By 1972, the entire area of roughly 4.5 hectares of ridge and furrow has been almost completely levelled. [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]