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HER Number (PRN):00548
Name:Smethcott Deserted Medieval Village
Type of Record:Monument
Protected Status:None recorded

Monument Type(s):

Summary

The medieval village of Smethcott, originally sited near the church, moved to the present site probably in the C13 but has since shrunk from its original extent.

Parish:Smethcott, Shrewsbury and Atcham, Shropshire
Map Sheet:SO49NE
Grid Reference:SO 4505 9949

Related records

35998Related to: 19th century reports of (undated) human remains, N side of churchyard, St Michael's Church, Smethcott (Find Spot)
00219Related to: Smethcott Motte and Bailey Castle (Monument)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Description

Holloways visible in field centred SO451995 and a number of small parcels, possibly crofts centred SO453995. OS FI 1977 <1><1a>
No traces of desertion were noted in the arable fields around the castle and church, or between Branmill and the school to the east. No ground evidence survives of hollow-ways or crofts in the areas
cited. <1b>

The medieval village of Smethcott, originally sited near the church, moved to the present site probably in the C13 but has since shrunk from its original extent. It probably lay along the road NE from Brammill (PRN15664) (SO44859918) where a timber framed tithe barn stood by the road side, opposite the sunken way leading to the church, until its demolition in 1960. The only buildings remaining near the original site are the church, New Rectory farm, built 1839, and the school, built 1867. The church, rebuilt 1859, has stood on its present site since at least the C12. In 1235 Smethcott Wood had been wasted near the village and huts erected there confirming a shift eastwards. The Castle, (PRN00219), ceased to be a residence after about 1272 and by 1315 no manorial buildings remained. On its new site (centred SO 453996) the village apparently changed little in size until the eighteenth century. There were probably eight farmhouses in 1675 but by 1777 when there were three large farms and a blacksmith's shop, the village was already much as it is today. <2>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 16 Shrunken/Shifted Medieval Villages. <4>

Sources

[00]SSA20722 - Card index: Shropshire County Council SMR. Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards. SMR record cards. SMR Card for PRN SA 00548.
[01]SSA2283 - Card index: Ordnance Survey. 1977. Ordnance Survey Record Card SO49NW35 . Ordnance Survey record cards. SO49NW35 .
[01a]SSA31554 - Site visit report: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. Various. NRHE: Ordnance Survey Field Investigators Comments. R1 FCS 06-JUL-77.
[01b]SSA31554 - Site visit report: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. Various. NRHE: Ordnance Survey Field Investigators Comments. F1 ASP 31-JUL-79.
[01ai]SSA31561 - Vertical aerial photograph: Historic England / RAF. c.1946-1955. NRHE: RAF Aerial Photographs held by Historic England Archive. Black and white. APs (RAF 106G/UK/1698/5153-4 27.8.46).
[02]SSA1126 - Volume: Gaydon A T (ed). 1968. Victoria County History 8: Condover and Ford Hundreds. Victoria County History of Shropshire. Vol 8. p149 with photo.
[03]SSA2282 - Correspondence: Various. 1986. Correspondence, 1986.
[04]SSA20084 - TEXT: Horton Wendy B. 1990/ 1991. MPP Evaluation File.
Date Last Edited:Jun 22 2022 4:15PM

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