Scheduled MonumentsNorthern IrelandDownOpen field system
MEDIEVAL · FIELD SYSTEM

Open field system

Down, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 8365
Period
MEDIEVAL
Site type
FIELD SYSTEM
Nation
Northern Ireland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)

Overview

History & significance

The Open field system in County Down is a medieval field system representing the communal agricultural organisation characteristic of medieval settlement in Ulster. The system comprises strips of arable land organised for cultivation under a collective management structure typical of medieval rural communities in Ireland and Britain. Such open field arrangements, dating to the medieval period, reflect the social and economic structures of manorial or communal farming practices before the consolidation of enclosed fields in later centuries. The physical remains of the system are visible in the landscape as ridge and furrow patterns and linear field boundaries that document the historic division of agricultural land among the medieval population of the area.

Open field system is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 8365. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Open field system?

The Open field system in County Down is a medieval field system representing the communal agricultural organisation characteristic of medieval settlement in Ulster. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 8365.

What period does Open field system date from?

Open field system dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a field system. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Open field system?

Open field system is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 8365.

What other scheduled monuments are near Open field system?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Clachan (0.1 km), A.p. site - barrow? (1.7 km), Raised rath (1.8 km).

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