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Summary

A V-shaped ditch is visible on the east-facing slopes of Rounding Hill as an earthwork and cropmark on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards and images derived from lidar data captured in 2021. The earthwork is of unknown date and function, but potentially relates to military training activity of post-medieval to early 20th century date.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DITCH (Post Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1966 AD (Between))
• PRACTICE TRENCH? (Post Medieval to World War II - 1540 AD? (Between) to 1945 AD? (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

The ditch is visible as an earthwork under rough pasture and light scrub vegetation.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015 onwards, 2015 onward Aerial Photographs (single years) (Aerial Photograph). SDV365735.

The ditch is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs taken in 2015.

Environment Agency, 2021, University of Exeter Understanding Landscapes Project - Lidar visualisation (Cartographic). SDV366001.

A V-shaped ditch is clearly visible as earthwork. More subtle ditch earthworks are visible continuing west from the arms of the 'V'.

Hegarty, C., 2025, Comment on Unlocking Landscapes project and related lidar and aerial photograph interpretations (Interpretation). SDV366411.

A V-shaped ditch is visible on the east-facing slopes of Rounding Hill as a subtle earthwork under rough pasture on RAF aerial photographs of the 1940s. It is identifiable as a pale cropmark on aerial imagery of 2015 and remains clearly visible as an earthwork on images derived from lidar data, where it can be seen to measure up to 5m wide and approximately 80m long, with possible upcast along the inner, western edge of the ‘V’. The ditch may extend west from both arms of the ‘V’ for nearly 70m, as a more subtle earthwork hollow, defining an oval up to 95m across.
The date and function of the earthwork is of unknown. It may relate to military training of early 20th century date but it appears to have passed out of use by the mid-1940s and does not display the zig-zag or crenelated plan typical of First World War training trenches. A 19th-century or earlier date may be possible; Rounding Hill is depicted as rough pasture on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map and marginal agricultural land was often selected for such military training activity.

Horner, B., 2025, Lidar interpretation (Personal Comment). SDV366415.

V-shaped earthwork. Possibly extending further west. Possible military training? Formerly rough ground.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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