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Latitude: 53.0122 / 53°0'43"N
Longitude: -1.7696 / 1°46'10"W
OS Eastings: 415551.465846
OS Northings: 346123.246239
OS Grid: SK155461
Mapcode National: GBR 48V.3DY
Mapcode Global: WHCF4.SKH4
Entry Name: Mayfield strip lynchets
Scheduled Date: 13 June 1968
Source: Historic England
Source ID: 1002963
English Heritage Legacy ID: ST 168
County: Staffordshire
Civil Parish: Mayfield
Traditional County: Staffordshire
Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Staffordshire
Church of England Parish: Mayfield St John the Baptist
Church of England Diocese: Lichfield
Strip lynchets 130m south east of Ivy Cottage.
Source: Historic England
This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 3 July 2015. 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 a series of six strip lynchets on an east facing slope situated in an elevated position overlooking the River Dove. The strip lynchets survive as terraces between 1.5 and 2m high and 10 and 20m wide. They are shortest in length at the higher end of the slope and increase in length down the slope ranging from 80 and 140m in length. Although the origin of the terraces is unknown it is believed they are the result of ploughing or cultivation from the medieval period or earlier.
A feature thought to be the possible site of a barrow lies to the south west corner of the monument and as this feature has not been formally assessed its relationship, if any, with the terraces is unknown. Other well preserved cultivation terraces or lynchets appear to survive 500m to the north west but any relationship between the two sites has not been formally assessed.
Source: Historic England
Strip lynchets are artificially created cultivation terraces found on hillslopes which create a characteristically stepped profile. They were created by ploughing around the hillslope following the contours. The effect of this ploughing was to cut into the hillslope and to spread soil out onto the downslope to form a level platform which could then be used for cultivation. Such contour ploughing prevented major soil erosion on the hillslope and probably also helped retain moisture. Such terraced field systems originated in the prehistoric period and continued in practice into the medieval period.
The cultivation terraces 130m south east of Ivy Cottage survive well as prominent landscape features. They are one of relatively few types of ancient field system and an important source for studying the history of land use and agricultural practices.
Source: Historic England
Other
Pastscape: 307473, HER: DST5882 & NMR: SK14NE14
Source: Historic England
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