Old Pound Copse earthwork

Summary

Earthwork called Old Pound Copse 405m NNW of Harewood Lodge.

Reasons for Designation

Stock enclosures of medieval and later date provided winter shelter and corralling for beasts ranging over open pasture. In south east England, they are to be found in relatively remote regions located some distance from the farmstead with which they were associated. They vary in size and shape and reflect local building techniques, styles and materials. They usually survive as a level area surrounded by low banks flanked by construction ditches. Some enclosures would have been further protected by timber fences and gates and smaller examples may have been roofed. Surviving largely in downland areas of less intensive modern land use, medieval and post-medieval stock enclosures provide evidence for pastoral practices in south east England which have left few other traces in the landscape. As a relatively rare monument type, those examples which survive well as upstanding monuments and/or which are documented by part excavation or contemporary records, are considered to merit protection.

The earthwork called Old Pound Copse survives well and forms a visible feature in the landscape. Although its origin is not certain, the form and nature of the earthworks are of national importance. It has not been excavated and retains a high degree of potential for archaeological investigation. It will contain below-ground archaeological and environmental information relating to its construction and use, as well as the landscape in which it was built.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 30 July 2014. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes an earthwork, known as Old Pound Copse, situated on the southern slopes of a hill in Harewood Forest, just north of the A303 road. The enclosure has five relatively straight sides and rounded corners. It is delimited by a bank with external ditch, which together are 14.5m wide. The top of the bank is 1.7m above the bottom of the ditch. It is about 140m long north-south by 100m wide east-west. There is an entrance in the west side denoted by a break in the bank and a corresponding causeway across the ditch.

The earthwork is of uncertain origin although it has been suggested that it is an Iron Age univallate hillfort or a medieval stock enclosure. The form indicates that it is most likely post-Roman, whilst its position, size, the well-preserved earthworks, and the name (‘Old Pound’) would imply a medieval or post-medieval stock enclosure.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

HA 106

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
Hampshire HER 19050. NMR SU34SE8. PastScape 228187,

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Print the official list entry