If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Medieval settlement and associated field system of Heapham

Full description

SHRUNKEN MEDIEVAL VILLAGE EARTHWORKS IN THIS AREA ON EITHER SIDE OF HEAPHAM LANE, REPORTED BY PAUL EVERSON IN 1978. {1}~ THE SHRUNKEN SETTLEMENT EARTHWORKS REPRESENT ONE PART OF A REGULAR AND POSSIBLY PLANNED POLYFOCAL SETTLEMENT, PERHAPS OVERLYING EARLIER ARABLE FIELDS, WITH THE PARISH CHURCH QUITE ISOLATED FROM BOTH AREAS OF MEDIEVAL OCCUPATION. TWO MODERN FARMS AND THE ASSOCIATED EARTHWORKS LIE QUITE TOPOGRAPHICALLY DISTINCT AND TO THE EAST OF A SECOND NUCLEUS WHICH IS THE FOCUS OF THE MODERN VILLAGE (PRN 51366). BOTH NUCLEI ARE SHOWN AS BLOCKS OF OLD ENCLOSURES ON THE ENCLOSURE MAP OF 1776, WHICH ALSO EMPHASIZES THE LONG, NARROW AND SLIGHTLY CURVING FORM OF SEVERAL OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE SOUTH PART OF THE EASTERN NUCLEUS, AND POINTS TO DEVELOPMENT OVER FORMER ARABLE STRIPS. TWO TENURIAL ELEMENTS DO APPEAR AND PERSIST IN THE DOCUMENTATION FOR HEAPHAM BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW THEY RELATE TO THE TOPOGRAPHICAL DIVISION. POPULATION FIGURES SHOW NO STRONG TRENDS, BUT THERE ARE TROUGHS NOTABLY IN THE C14 TO C15 AND THE LATE C16 TO C17. AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE SHRUNKEN SETTLEMENT EARTHWORKS LIES A SMALL MOATED SITE (PRN 50295); ASSOCIATED CLOSES MAY FORM A BLOCK OF MANORIAL PROPERTY. TO THE SOUTH IS A LADDER-PATTERN OF REGULARLY SPACED DITCHED CLOSES ALIGNED EAST-WEST, WITH DWELLINGS AT THEIR ENDS. THOSE AROUND CHESTNUT FARM OVERLIE RIDGE-AND-FURROW AND THEIR BOUNDARIES REFLECT THE CURVING STRIPS. ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE STREET THE MAP OF 1776 SHOWS DWELLINGS IN A SERIES OF SIMILAR NARROW CLOSES LYING WITHIN THE OLD ENCLOSURES, ONLY THE NORTHERNMOST OF WHICH IS NOW MARKED BY SURVIVING EARTHWORKS. THIS, COUPLED WITH THE CURIOUS MISALIGNMENT OF THE SOUTH PART OF THE NORTH-SOUTH STREET SUGGESTS A DISTINCT ADDITION TO THE EARLIER LAYOUT NORTH OF THE EAST-WEST CROSS- STREET, PERHAPS TOTALLY OF POST-MEDIEVAL DATE. {2}~ FOR A DETAILED HISTORY SEE EVERSON, TAYLOR AND DUNN, 1991. {2}~, HTM 20M
Ridge and furrow earthworks to the west of the settlement remains appear to have been ploughed out and are not visible (in 2012) on Google maps. {12}

<1> SMR FILE, SK 88 NE:J,1978, TMA (Index). SLI3082.

<2> P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn, 1991, Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire, pp14-5,28,39,111;Fig18,81 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1063.

<3> P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn, 1991, Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire, ARCHIVE NOTES (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1063.

<4> Paul Everson, 1975-90, RCHM, 2916/10; 2928/40,1976, (Aerial Photograph). SLI196.

<5> Paul Everson, 1975-90, RCHM, 5164/18,1977, (Aerial Photograph). SLI196.

<6> COLE, C., 1993-2002, InnerVisions Business Presentations, UK/E/L:1004VL,1993, (Aerial Photograph). SLI181.

<7> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1992-1996, National Mapping Programme, SK8888:LI.11.1.1-3,1992, (Map). SLI3613.

<8> COLE, C., 1993-2002, InnerVisions Business Presentations, 137/0896/23,1996, (Aerial Photograph). SLI181.

<9> RUSSELL, R.C. AND RUSSELL, E., 1987, PARLIAMENTARY ENCLOSURE AND NEW LINCOLNSHIRE LANDSCAPES, - (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1090.

<10> RUSSELL, R.C. AND RUSSELL, E., 1983, MAKING NEW LANDSCAPES IN LINCOLNSHIRE, - (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1086.

<11> COLE, C., 1993-2002, InnerVisions Business Presentations, 179/0597/25,1997, (Aerial Photograph). SLI181.

<12> Google, 2006->, Google Maps and Street View (Website). SLI11533.

Monument Types

• RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SHRUNKEN VILLAGE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SHRUNKEN VILLAGE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Events

• Earthwork survey in Heapham

Protected Status

• SHINE
• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.