New aerial photographs show a number of breaks, or possible causeways, in the ditch that defines the oval enclosure known as Tarrant Launceston 15. It had been listed as probably Iron Age or Roman in the RCHME’s (Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England) inventory volume but the causeways may indicate that the site is a Neolithic causewayed enclosure and so considerably older.
Is it or isn’t it?
Causewayed enclosures are amongst the oldest, rarest and most enigmatic ancient monuments in Britain, with only about 70 known examples. Although it is not possible to prove that Tarrant Launceston 15 is Neolithic from the aerial photographs alone, its morphology and topographic setting argue strongly for the site’s re-interpretation as a causewayed enclosure.
The cropmarks are directly influenced by what is present at a deeper level and bring out the detail of the cut features below the surface. At Tarrant Launceston 15 they reveal an arrangement of short ditches and pits that is characteristic of Neolithic causewayed enclosures.
New information from old photographs
The analytical aerial survey of the surrounding landscape has more than doubled the number of recorded round barrows and known sections of Roman road within the relatively small project area. It clearly illustrates the potential of examining historic aerial photographs held in the archives, even for areas like Cranborne Chase that have long received archaeological attention.
Previously unrecorded sites from later periods were also surveyed. These include aspects of post medieval agriculture (water meadows, sheep folds and dewponds) and 20th century military activity (practice trenches and a bombing range).
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