Reasons for Designation
Linear boundaries are substantial earthwork features comprising single or
multiple ditches and banks which may extend over distances varying between
less than 1km to over 10km. They survive as earthworks or as linear features
visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs or as a combination of both. The
evidence of excavation and study of associated monuments demonstrate that
their construction spans the millennium from the Middle Bronze Age, although
they may have been re-used later.
The scale of many linear boundaries has been taken to indicate that they were
constructed by large social groups and were used to mark important boundaries
in the landscape; their impressive scale displaying the corporate prestige of
their builders. They would have been powerful symbols, often with religious
associations, used to define and order the territorial holdings of those
groups who constructed them. Linear earthworks are of considerable importance
for the analysis of settlement and land use in the Bronze Age; all well
preserved examples will normally merit statutory protection.
Details
The monument includes a prehistoric linear boundary which is situated at the
northern edge of the Tabular Hills. It runs south from the top of the scarp
slope and turns to the south west at the southern end to run into the head of
Dargate Slack.
The boundary consists of three parallel steep-sided ditches, each of which
runs between two banks of earth and stone. The banks are up to 3.5m wide and
stand between 0.3m and 0.7m high. The ditches are up to 3.5m across and are
between 1.3m and 2m deep, measured from the tops of the adjacent banks.
Separating the three sets of ditches and banks there are two gaps which are
each between 2m and 4m wide. Together the earthworks have an overall width of
36m-38m. For the last 100m at the south western end, the boundary consists of
only the western ditch and banks, which follow the contours of Dargate Slack
and have an overall maximum width of 10m. The boundary is segmented by three
forestry tracks, two of which cross it in a north west to south east direction
and one from south west to north east. Additionally a large hollow way cuts
through the southern part of the boundary in a WNW to ESE direction. The
eastern ditch and banks are also crossed by a surfaced footpath which turns to
the north to run along the eastern bank adjacent to the central ditch, then
along the gap between the eastern and central sets of earthworks.
The monument forms part of a network of prehistoric linear boundaries which
are surrounded by many other prehistoric monuments, particularly burials.
The surfaces of the three forestry tracks and the footpath are excluded from
the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included. A fourth
forestry track truncates the northern terminal of the linear boundary and lies
outside the protected area.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
34682
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
