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Monument Types

• DYKE (DEFENCE) (Med, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1546 AD (at some time))

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 127: Earthwork to E of village

Full description

"Wellow" referred to c 1278 as Welhagh or Welhah - a hedge, fence - hence a piece of ground enclosed or fenced in. (2)
Round the E corner of the village of Wellow there is a 6ft-8ft vallum with deep fosse on the outside. There are traces on the S and W side. Mr Barley reports that this earthwork is of considerable importance. Village dates from mid C12 and occupied by peasants evicted from their lands due to the foundation of Rufford Abbey. (4)
The displaced men (of Cratley and Inkersall) founded the new village of Wellow ... surrounded by a bank and ditch. (6)
The remains of this earthwork comprise, in the main, a broad ditch, with in places the remains of an inner bank. Breaks can be attributed to roads, some modern, levelling in gardens, and silting up. On the N, NE and SE the feature is entirely manmade, whilst on the W a stream course has been utilised and probably deepened. (7)
The N side forms a field boundary to fields under pasture. The W side ownership has changed considerably which has affected the site. The W side immediately S of the road is a small orchard with ditch infilled but signs of a low bank less than 1m high. The SW corner forms the garden of a new bungalow with a greenhouse, shed, garden wall, flower beds and trees encroaching on the bank. (8)
A test pit was dug. The results show the survival of a substantial inner bank above a probable old ground surface. (9)
NB Earthwork section only scheduled (as grid ref).

Data Held: Ground Photograph (Ground photograph). SNT2646.

1 colour print, 11/11 (neg F25/7), SMR

<1> VCH, 1906, Notts, p 314 (Published document). SNT1383.

<2> Mutschmann H, 1913, Place Names of Nottingham, p 148 (Published document). SNT934.

<3> Gover, Mawer & Stenton, 1940, Place Names of Nottinghamshire, pp 65-6 (Published document). SNT670.

<4> DOE, AM7 - undated, no author (Unpublished document). SNT52.

<5> Barley MW, 1957, Nottm Med Studies, pp 75-89 (Published document). SNT263.

<6> Edwards KC, 1966, Nottingham and its Region, p 210 (Published document). SNT665.

<7> Seaman BH, 1974, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1252.

<8> Dodd A, 1988, AM107 (Unpublished document). SNT620.

<9> JSAC, Jan 1994, Gorge Dike, Wellow, Nottinghamshire, Scheduled Ancient Monument 131, Archaeological Test Pit (Unpublished document). SNT2142.

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