Monument Type(s):

• FLAX MILL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

This site represents: a flax mill of medieval date.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA13 - 1994 field observation by Worcestershire Archaeological Service
• ESA6377 - 2008 WB on land off Church Road, High Ercall, Shropshire by ARCUS

Description

Ercall had a demesne flaxyard in the C12 and produced linen and linseed oil. The lords flaxyard was described as lying between the church, the vivary, a row of trees and the road to Cotwall. By c1220 flax was on its way out <1>

CMHTS Comment:- The description given above is difficult to reconcile with the vivary in The Quabb (PRN 04071) and seems to fit better with the pools to the E of the town (ie in the position of PRNs 05582 and 05583). Earthworks in this area observed during fieldwork may be natural or may relate to processes such as flax production <2>

In the 1839 tithe map part of this area is referred to as 'Stack yard' <3>

CMHTS Report <4>

In the 18th century Rocque speaks of land adjoining the pond as 'hempbutt as supposed', suggesting that this activity has a long history at High Ercall. A study of probate inventories for the Wellington area between 1660 and 1750 clearly showed that dyeing was an important local industry, and this activity may account in part for the remarkable attic space in the present hall, which is reminiscent of some sort of processing area <5>

During ground works for a sewerage scheme on land to the south of St. Michael’s Church, topsoil and subsoil deposits were found to be the same in all of the excavated trenches across the site, with rubble deposits representing the dumping of building debris, probably in an attempt to fill in hollows in the undulating ground surface. No archaeological remains or artefacts were identified <6>

<01> Hill M C, 1984, The Desmesne and the Waste, p26 (Article in serial). SSA9190.

<02> Buteux Victoria, 1993/ 1996, CMHTS SMR Records Shropshire: Ellesmere and High Ercall, High Ercall 5585 (Record form). SSA19967.

<03> Foxall H D G, Transcript of High Ercall Tithe Map (1839) (Map). SSA11528.

<04> Buteux Victoria et al, 1996, Archaeological Assessment of High Ercall, Shropshire (CMHTS) (Historic landscape survey report). SSA12071.

<05> Ferris Iain & Litherland Steve J, 1991, Archaeological work at Ercall Hall, High Ercall, Shropshire, in 1991 (Archaeological fieldwork report). SSA674.

<06> Barnett R, 2008, Land off Church Road, High Ercall, Shropshire: archaeological watching brief, p2 (Watching brief report). SSA23450.

Sources

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