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Two boundary earthworks on the west of Rushall Down

A Scheduled Monument in Charlton (Upavon Ward), Wiltshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.2793 / 51°16'45"N

Longitude: -1.8692 / 1°52'9"W

OS Eastings: 409215.601

OS Northings: 153356.5966

OS Grid: SU092533

Mapcode National: GBR 3X9.N7F

Mapcode Global: VHB4X.K35M

Entry Name: Two boundary earthworks on the west of Rushall Down

Scheduled Date: 8 January 1990

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1009813

English Heritage Legacy ID: 10034

County: Wiltshire

Civil Parish: Charlton (Upavon Ward)

Traditional County: Wiltshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Wiltshire

Church of England Parish: Charlton St Peter

Church of England Diocese: Salisbury

Details

Two lengths of bank and ditch boundary earthworks meeting at right angles. The
earthworks are part of an extensive system of boundary features, although
their precise relationship is unknown.
1 - A boundary feature running north-west/south-east for c.270m. The ditch is
c.8m wide and there is a counterscarp bank on the north-east. This may be part
of the "Long Ditch", sections of which remain extant to the north-west and
south-east.
2 - A ditch running south-west/north-east following countour around the steep
face of a combe. The ditch averages 6m wide and has a weak counterscarp bank.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The most complete and extensive survival of chalk downland archaeological
remains in central southern England occurs on Salisbury Plain, particularly in
those areas lying within the Salisbury Plain Training Area. These remains
represent one of the few extant archaeological "landscapes" in Britain and are
considered to be of special significance because they differ in character from
those in other areas with comparable levels of preservation. Individual sites
on Salisbury Plain are seen as being additionally important because the
evidence of their direct association with each other survives so well.
Boundary earthworks which include linear earthworks, so called ranch
boundaries, dykes and cross ridge dykes are particularly well preserved in the
Salisbury Plain Training Area. They provide important evidence of prehistoric
landholdings, land reorganisation and changing agricultural practices through
time.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Trust for Wessex Archaeology, (1987)
Wiltshire Library & Museum Service, (1987)

Source: Historic England

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