New Ditch
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| New Ditch | |
|---|---|
| Location | Butleigh, Somerset, England |
| Coordinates | 51°05′47″N 2°42′37″W / 51.09639°N 2.71028°W |
| Reference no. | Somerset 447[1] |
New Ditch is a linear earthwork of possible Iron Age or Medieval construction.[2] It partially crosses the Polden Hills in woodlands approximately 1.1 miles (1.8 km) south-west from the village of Butleigh in Somerset, England.
Its construction is similar to Ponter's Ball Dyke 3 miles to the northeast, with the dyke on the south east of the embankment, but of less massive construction. Both were probably part of a more extensive defence scheme. It is nearly half a mile in length and was probably of greater extent originally, but as it stands, New Ditch cannot be termed a cross-ridge dyke although it does seem to be a boundary work.[2]
It is debatable whether this site is ancient because it is located close to a medieval woodland and a deer park.[1][3]