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A field system on Penning Down is a prehistoric agricultural landscape located in Wiltshire that demonstrates the organized division and management of land during the Bronze Age and Iron Age periods. The system comprises a series of lynchets and field boundaries that are visible as earthwork features across the down, representing the agricultural practices and land tenure arrangements of ancient communities. Such field systems are significant for understanding how prehistoric populations organized their economic activities and utilized the chalk downland environment, with the surviving earthworks providing evidence of sustained cultivation and pastoral management over extended periods. The monument exemplifies the type of landscape archaeology that characterizes Wiltshire's prehistoric heritage, where field boundaries often became fixed landscape features through repeated ploughing and stock management.
Field system on Penning Down is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1010254. View the official record →
A field system on Penning Down is a prehistoric agricultural landscape located in Wiltshire that demonstrates the organized division and management of land during the Bronze Age and Iron Age periods. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1010254.
Field system on Penning Down is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1010254.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Silver Barrow, Orcheston Down (7.7 km), White Barrow, a long barrow (8.2 km), Bowl barrow on Tilshead Down, 950m north west of Copehill Plantation (8.3 km).
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Research the area around Field system on Penning Down