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Monument Types

• TOWN? (Early Medieval to Late Medieval - 1100 AD? to 1400 AD?)
• VILLAGE? (Burnt down 5 Nov 1644, Late Medieval to Early Post-medieval - 1400 AD to 1644 AD)

Summary

Documentary evidence points to the presence of a market town at the foot of the castle and adjacent to the priory possibly originating alongside the latter's foundation. A market is recorded from the mid C13th whilst a fair was granted to the Priory in c. 1105.

Additional Information

<1> Nichols J, The History and Antiquities of Leicestershire, Vol II, pt 1, p 75-82 (Bibliographic reference). SLE7.

Very little can be confidently said of the location, extent and character of the settlement at Belvoir, although perhaps its most likely position is at the foot of the castle and west of the abbey precinct. A fair was granted to the priory in the early 12th century (AD 1105), in addition, a market was clearly in existence by the middle of the 13th century, the latter acquired by Robert de Roos.
A C13th deed of feofment in one case granted 'a toft in the vill of Beuvor in burgage lying between the gate of the castle and the toft of Walter the Shepherd.' A second deed mentions the transfer of services ‘in the borough of Belvoir'. The records of the priory include frequent documentary references to messuage, tenements, whilst field names mentioned in the 1734 Enclosure Act including 'Town Leys Furlong' and 'Upper Town Leys Furlong', may reflect the position of the town, although whether these lie within Wollesthorpe or Belvoir is unclear.
By the early 17th century the settlement amounts to no more than a village. Nichols comments, that during the chaos of the 17th century both the priory and village were so thoroughly demolished as to leave scarcely a remnant of a building. In that context he states that the village was burnt down with the permission of the Earl of Rutland on the 5th November 1644.

<2> 2016, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning (Website). SLE4981.

SUMMARY: "Medieval town first mentioned in documents of 1130."
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=923477', accessioned 28/09/2023.

<3> Ekwall, E, 1985, The Concise Dictionary of English Place-Names (4th edition), p37 (Bibliographic reference). SLE7332.

Belvoir was referred to as Belveder in the Pipe Rolls in 1130. In 1145, the town was referred to as De Bello Videre in a charter, and also in other documents. The name Belvoir is derived from the french 'belvedere' meaning beautiful view.

<4> 1995, Lincolnshire NMP Project, Yvonne Boutwood/15-AUG-1995 (Index). SLE7305.

The Medieval town described by the previous authorities was not visible on air photographs. A hollow way recorded in SK 83 SW 35 may be associated with this settlement.

Sources

Associated Finds

None recorded

Designations

• Registered Park or Garden (II*) 1000957: BELVOIR CASTLE
• Conservation Area: Belvoir Castle

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