Monument record 746 - Open Field System, Wollaston

Extensive blocks of medieval or post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation, remnants of the former open common field system, is visible on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data. Located in Wollaston parish, many of the ridge and furrow blocks appear to share a roughly N-S alignment. Also notable are the linear and sinuous plough levelled earthworks banks, plough headlands, field and boundary banks of probable medieval date, though some may be earlier in origin. Aerial photographs taken in 2018 and recent remote sensing data suggest that much of the ridge and furrow blocks have been plough levelled, but a few remain extant to the west of Wollaston village and in the south of the parish.

{2-9} Extensive blocks of medieval or post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation, remnants of the former open common field system, is visible on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data and was mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Located in Wollaston parish and centred at SP 90237 63331, many of the ridge and furrow blocks appear to share a roughly N-S alignment. Also notable are the linear and sinuous plough levelled earthworks banks, plough headlands, field and boundary banks of probable medieval date, though some may be earlier in origin. Visible on remote sensing data throughout the parish, these features are remnants of a formerly contiguous agricultural cultivation system, but suggest that many of the ridge and furrow blocks had already been plough levelled by the mid 20th century. Aerial photographs taken in 2018 and recent remote sensing data suggest that much of the ridge and furrow blocks have been plough levelled, but a few remain extant to the west of Wollaston village and in the south of the parish.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.181-2 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> Vertical Aerial Photograph, US/7GR/LOC334 V 5001-5002 31-MAY-1944 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<3> Vertical Aerial Photograph, RAF/CPE/UK/1994 FS 2229 13-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<4> Vertical Aerial Photograph, RAF/CPE/UK/2546 RS 4139-4141 26-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<5> Vertical Aerial Photograph, RAF/540/1312 F21 0295 26-MAY-1954 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<6> Bedford Borough Council HER, 1991, Georeferenced composite layer of vertical aerial photographs taken in 1991. Held by Bedford Borough Council HER (Archive). SNN111744.

<7> Bedford Borough Council HER, 1996, Georeferenced composite layer of vertical aerial photographs taken in 1996. Held by Bedford Borough Council HER (Archive). SNN111739.

<8> Environment Agency, LIDAR Composite DTM - 1m, LIDAR SP 9062-9064, 9160-9164, 9260-9262 Environment Agency 1m DTM NOV-2003–NOV-2012 (Digital Plots). SNN111710.

<9> Vertical Aerial Photograph, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SP 9062-9064, 9160-9164, 9260-9262 12-JUN-2018 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<10> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP, MD003015 (Archive). SNN113023.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 7:19PM