The Dorset Landscape: Field Analysis

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Table of Contents

Overview of the Dorset Landscape
Description of Sites
Conclusion
Reference List

Overview of the Dorset Landscape

The uniqueness of the Dorset landscape lies in its landscape variety, quality, and character. This diversity is caused by such physical and natural factors as geology, climate, and soils.

The physical framework has been shaped in the course of long history of human activities that has created the landscape we see today (The Dorset Landscape n. d). The diversity ranges from the geological importance and large-scale of an 87 mile coastline to the diversity of biological species inhabiting the area (Roberts 1995).

In general, the geological and archaeological environment consists of chalk ridge, chalk valley, clay valley, heath mosaic, harbor and lagoon, limestone hills and plateau, lowland heathland, rolling vales and wooded pasture, valley pasture, undulating river valley, and, finally, wooded chalk down land (Howard 2011).

Each of the above-presented characteristics will be considered below to describe such sites as the Crandborne Chase, the Dorset Cursus, Hambledon Hill, the Roman Road, Pond barrow, and Down Farm.

Description of Sites

The Neolithic Dorset Cursus

The Neolithic Dorset cursus is a monument spreading across six miles of Chranbone Chase down land in eastern part of Dorset.

It is considered one of the largest sites that stretches through chalk lands and it is composed originally of two parallel lines with 90 meters between those that run northwest-southwest (The Megalithic Portal n. d.).

The modern appearance of cursus is viewed as a pair of soil marks; however, some of genuine earthworks remain with adjacent barrows.

In 1973, it was suggested that the Dorset Cursus had been created as an astronomical observatory to define the alignments between specific mounds and the Cursus.

The archaeologist also discovered that five of the presented lines bore astronomical importance and that the northern boundary of the Cursus had been built between the crossed alignments (Castleden 1992).

The alignment extends from the Bottlebush terminal and spreads up to the long barrow, forming a distinguished skyline feature on Gussage Cow Down (Barrett 1991).

This position was chosen to achieve the visual effect. At this point, the scholars put forward the hypothesis that the choice created the possibility to observe the midwinter sun setting behind the hills.

The Cranborne Chase

The Cranborne Chase is part of the English Chalk Formation that is located near Salisbury Plain. The sharp slope of the plateau borders on the Blackmore Vale to the west and Vale of Wardour to the north (Nunn n. d.).

To the south, the chalk plateau is characterized by rounded downs with dry valleys and steeply cut combs (Nunn n. d.).

Bowden (1991, p. 103) writes, “the inhabitants of the Chase were not only forbidden to harm the deer directly but were also prevented from undertaking any activity which might damage the ‘vert’, the vegetation on and in which the deer lived”. The terminal alignments are difficult to identity accurately.

The external boundaries involves an area that stretches from Shaftesbury to Ringwood and from Salisbury to Blandford Forum. The inner boundaries spread from Compton Abbas to the west to Woodyates to the east, which is adjacent with Ox Drove (Bowden 1991).

Excavations in Cranborne Chase were conducted by Pitt Rives, whose military background greatly influenced his ability regularly record the information about surveys and results of fieldwork (Lucas 2001).

In general, the area is covered with Iron Age hill forts, boundary dykes, burial mounds, and field systems, indicating the historic evidence.

The Hambledon Hill

The Hambledon hilltop is surrounded by the Iron Age earthwork, and it possesses complex and extensive Neolithic features. Therefore, the site is considered to be one of the major archaeological spots for the researchers.

The grassland is of the main interest to the archaeologists; however, there are territories of mixed scrub and yew wood (Natural Land n. d.). The land stretches fifteen kilometers to the south of Gilligham and seven kilometers to the south of Blandford Forum, which is between Iwerne Courtney and Child Okeford.

Hambledon Hill is a chalk hill with three spurs and giant furrows. Edmonds (1999, p. 1) focuses on the “barrows, stone circles and great chalk banks; ruins already scarred by collectors and by scientific interest”.

The view from the dome is one “to sooth the soul and replenish the energy stores, which is just as well as the walk to the summit is one to tire the legs” (Richards 1999, p. 38). On this territory, the historical evidence points to the military actions during the Civil War in 1645 (Richards 1999, p. 38).

The Roman Road in Britain

The Roman Roads in Britain stretch over 13.000 kilometers and were built at the end of the 1^st century AD, during the post-settlement period. These military roads were constructed for the army to move materials and men through the lands (Williams 2004).

In Dorset land, the road spreads from Hamworthy to Lake, but the original route begins from Julians Bridge and the Lake Gates. The current look of the road involves the pasture with wildlife.

Despite the changes, the road maintains its original straightness and continues as a bridleway over a mile, edging with high hedges (Guttridge 2010).

Additionally, the Roman road in Dorset is considered to be the finest routes, as well as the most popular part to examine the land between Wyke Down and Oakley Down (Johnston 2002).

Pond Barrow

The main feature of a pond barrow consists in its bold structure and functions. Their natural landscapes are difficult to define because they are of unimpressive size (Dyer 2001; Longworth 1984). Specifically, pond barrows are composed of a mound encircled by a depression and a rim.

The archaeologist managed to discover grave goods and burials beneath the hills and, therefore, it has been suggested that they were not designed for this purpose (Butler n. d.; Grtinsell 1959).

Dyer (1990, p. 96) also suggests that the pond barrows were also designed for burying cremations, “but they have not been much studied and may be adjunct to the funerary ritual rather than actual burial places”. Therefore, the function of these domes is not accurately defined.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Dorset Landscape is considered to be one of the most popular historic and archaeological sites that present a bulk of resources, materials, and natural attributes contributing to the historic analysis of the territory (Lane 2010).

Its major site include the Dorset Cursus, The Pond Barrow, the Hamdledon Hill, the Cranborne Chase, and the Roman Road in Dorset country.

All these historic places are of great aesthetical and natural significance for the United Kingdom and for the region due to the uniqueness of geological, natural and physical characteristics of the landscape.

Therefore, this territory is heavily examined by the leading archaeologists to define what historical events influence the modern appearance of the landscape.

Reference List

Barrett, J. C. 1991, Landscape, Monuments, and Society: The Prehistory of Cranborne Chase. Cambridge University Press, UK.

Bowden, M. 1991, Pitt Rivers: The Life and Archaeological Work of Lieutenant-General Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers, Dcl, Frs, Fsa. Cambridge University Press, UK.

Butler, A., How to Read Prehistoric Monuments: A Unique Guide to Our Ancient Heritage. Duncan Biard Publishers, UK.

Castleden, R. 1992, Neolithic Britain: New Stone Age Sites of England, Scotland, and Wales. Routledge, London.

Dyer, J. 2001, Discovering Prehistoric England, Osprey Publishing, UK.

Edmonds, M. R. 1999, Ancestral Geographies of the Neolithic: Landscape, Monuments, and Memory, Routledge, London.

Grtinsell, L. V. 1959, Dorset Barrows, Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, UK.

Guttridge, R. 2010, Following in Roman Footsteps, The Dorset Magazine. Web.

Howard, P. J. 2011, Introduction to Landscape, Ashgate Publishing, US.

Johnston, D. E. 2002, Discovering Roman Britain, Osprey Publishing, UK.

Lane, R. 2010, The Gardens of Dorset. Frances Lincoln, US.

Longworth, I. H. 1984, Collared Urns of the Bronze Age in Great Britain and Ireland, CUP Archive, UK.

Lucas, G. 2001, Critical Approaches to Fieldwork: Contemporary and Historical Archaeological Practice, Routledge, London.

Natural England. Hamdledon Hill NNR. Web.

Nunn, L. Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs. Web.

Richards, A. 2012, Bradt Slow Dorset: Local, Characterful Guides to Britain’s Special Places. Bradt Travel Guides, UK.

Roberts, K. 1995, Walking in Dorset, Cicerone Press Limited, UK.

The Dorset Landscape. Web.

The Megalithic Portal. Dorset Cursus. Web.

Williams, B. 2004, Romans in Britain, Jarrold Publishing, UK.

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