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Summary

A sub-circular enclosure pre-dates the 10th century Church of St Peter, and has been traced through excavation and map evidence. A possible Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Danish defended site. In 2021 a large ditch was exposed in an evaluation trench on the projected line of the enclosure ditch to the northeast.

Monument Types

• BURH? (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 410 AD to 1065 AD)
• CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE (EMED:SC?, Early Medieval/Dark Age - 410 AD to 1065 AD)

Protected Status - None

Associated Finds - None

Associated Events

• Watching Brief, 16 East Acridge, Barton on Humber, 1993
• Desk-Based Assessment, Seaforth, 91 Barrow Road, Barton, 2007
• Desk-based assessment, 1,3 & 5 Green Lane, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, 2008
• Observations in the garden of 33 Norman Close
• Trial Trench, 17a East Acridge, Barton upon Humber (Ref: BEAE 21)

Full description

The medieval manor of Barton was at Tyrwhitt Hall, immediately east of St Peter's Church. The existence of a large ditched enclosure, encompassing the manor, was first noted in the late 1970's during the excavation of St Peter's Church. The enclosure can also be reconstructed from topographical and map evidence.

Oval in shape, the enclosure measures c. 250m from east - west. Its outline can be traced in some surviving boundaries. The curving section of East Acridge indicates the northern part of the circuit, named as Intack Lane on the 1796 enclosure map. The north-eastern section continues the curve implied by the western end of East Acridge, although the road itself now has a dog-leg route. No surviving boundaries reflect the north-eastern line of the enclosure in this section, although Heselden's map of 1835 showed a dotted line that may have indicated a visible landscape feature. Continuing south, an un-named lane marked the route on the enclosure map, then a field boundary. Both have been lost to modern development. The south-western segment survives as a curving, sunken footpath that runs between Green Lane and the churchyard. This was known as Church Lane in the 19th century.

The ditch passes beneath the nave of St Peter's church, where it was recorded during the excavation. At this point it was originally c. 4.8m wide and 2.4m deep, with a gently rounded profile. Some remains of an internal bank were found on the eastern side. The ditch had been recut several times. There were two principal fills, a lower grey silt and an upper black peaty layer containing waterlogged organic remains. Finds of animal bone from the peaty layer indicated that it had been used to deposit domestic refuse. There was no pottery or organic material in the primary fill that might help to establish the date of construction, so this had to established relative to earlier and later stratified deposits. It was later than some Middle Saxon gravel-floored buildings in the vicinity, but earlier than the Saxo-Norman church and cemetery. A pre-10th century date was therefore suggested.

The internal area of the enclosure was c. 3 hectares. It may have had three entrances. The western entrance could have been to the north of the church, coinciding with the medieval entrance to Tyrwhitt Hall, or to the south, perhaps continuing the line of Burgate. The southern entrance was shown on the 1796 enclosure map, approached by a short lane leading from Barrow Road. The eastern entrance was on the line of East Acridge.

The western area of the ditch had probably been completely infilled by the 12th century, and all the other sections during the middle ages. This would account for the absence of any descriptions of earthworks in this area by local antiquarians.

The original purpose of the enclosure has yet to be established. It could be interpreted it as a 9th century Anglo-Danish camp or 'burh'. A single mention of a placename 'Goldburgh Wra' in a charter dated 1415 may support this view, as could the 'Burgate' placename nearby. Alternatively, an Anglo-Saxon origin as a defence against Viking raiders on the Humber was thought to be more likely by Rodwell in the St Peter's excavation report. Volume 1 of the report also contains discussions on the role of the enclosure relative to the Castledyke defensive ditches, and a north-south fortification ditch discovered in 1983, passing through the enclosure just east of the church. [1]

This site was listed in the gazetteer section of desk-based assessments in 2006 and 2008. [2 - 4]

Notes compiled in 2001 by Eileen Elder, the resident of 33 Norman Close at that time. The south-eastern part of the enclosure ditch runs through the garden of that property, which was originally the northern extent of the 'Seaforth' property to the south. The notes include observations made while digging shrub beds and a pond. A small amount of pottery was also collected, later donated to North Lincolnshire Museum (site codes BNPQ, BNAX). It included 5 Early Saxon sherds, 2 Middle Saxon Maxey ware sherds and 2 Late Saxon sherds. [5, 6]

In 2021 an evaluation trench on the front lawn of 17a East Acridege revealed a large ditch-like feature on the projected line the Saxon enclosure ditch (MLS26767). [7]

K Leahy, 1986, Colour aerial slide of Churches of St Mary and St Peter, Barton. (AP SLIDE). SLS5558.

Keith Miller, 1996, Barton upon Humber: St Peter's Church/Tyrwhitt Hall (REPORT - INTERIM, RESEARCH, SPECIALIST, ETC). SLS4697.

<1> Rodwell, W and Atkins, C, 2011, St Peter's Barton upon Humber: A Parish Church and its Community, 29-31, 159-60 (BOOK). SLS4701.

<2> Berger, M., 2008, Desk Based Assessment for 1, 3 & 5 Green Lane, Barton Upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, 14, Appendix 1 (DESK BASED ASSESSMENT REPORT). SLS3710.

<3> Berger, M., Desk Based Assessment for 1, 3 & 5 Green Lane, Barton Upon Humber, North Lincolnshire, 14, Appendix 1 (COMPUTER DISK/TAPE). SLS3711.

<4> Gardener, R.D. & Bunn, D., 2006, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Geophysical Survey, Proposed New Hotel Site, Barrow Road, Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, 10 (DESK BASED ASSESSMENT REPORT). SLS2887.

<5> Eileen Elder, 2001, Notes on the sub-circular enclosure at Barton Upon Humber (NOTES - LOOSE). SLS4810.

<6> North Lincolnshire Museum, NLM accession database, BNPQ, BNAX (MUSEUM RECORDS). SLS1205.

<7> Brocklehurst, L., 2022, Archaeological Evaluation Report, Land at 17a, East Acridge, Barton Upon Humber (REPORT - INTERIM, RESEARCH, SPECIALIST, ETC). SLS8034.

Sources and further reading

Related records

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