| Summary : An Early Medieval settlement, Medieval and Post Medieval shrunken village, consisting of hollow ways, tofts, crofts, a church, building platforms and a mound, seen as earthworks. Building foundations of uncertain date and finds ranging from the Roman period through to the eighteenth century have been found on the site. The Domesday Book records that the land at Beesby ("Baesbi" or "Besebi") was worth 20 shillings before 1066, and that in 1086 it was worth 30 shillings, showing that there was a pre-conquest settlement. This is reinforced by finds of Late Saxon pottery from the site. A document of 1450 refers to Beesby merging with Hawerby, and there is further documentary evidence of shrinkage from 1565, when only 7 families were recorded at the village. |
More information : Beesby, name TF 266965(1), lost village with church, was united to
Hawerby in May 1450. In 1563 seven families remained (2). (1-2)
[Area approx: TF 26649657]. Traces on air photographs. (3)
Extensive earthworks centred at TF 26689652 indicate this village.
Surveyed at 1/2500. (4)
TF 267966. Two small areas of Beesby DMV levelled in spring 1965.
Chalk foundations of a building and pottery from late Saxon - 18th
century found (5). Also Roman grey ware and mortaria (6). (5-6)
The major portion of this DMV is untouched in permanent pasture.
(7)
TF 268966. Earthworks of Beesby Deserted Medieval Village east of
road were completely levelled in 1971. Three house sites on the
roadside were noted, one with post Medieval pottery extending to the
18th century. There was a quantity of squared chalk stones, flints
and cobbles in this area, and many large stones, possibly pad-stones,
over the site. Pottery ranged from Medieval shelly wares to 18th
century sherds. (8)
TF 267966. Beesby Deserted Medieval Village. The remains fall into
two main areas; to the NE a church site within a rectangular enclosure and associated earthworks; to the SW (of the present farmhouse) a clear hollow way snaking through an area of tofts and crofts, bounded by banks and ditches up to 1m deep. (9)
TF 266966 centred. Site of Beesby Deserted Medieval Village,
mentioned in Domesday. Finds made 1965 and 1971 now in Scunthorpe
Museum, acc. code: HW AC. (10)
TF 266 964, TF 267 967. Deserted medieval village of Beesby.
Scheduled No HU/215. (11)
The Medieval and Post Medieval settlement remains, referred to
by the previous authorities, were seen as earthworks north and
south of Beesby House, and mapped from good quality
air photographs.
The church, referred to by authority 9, is visible as a
substantial rectangular enclosure, defined by earth covered
walls, measuring approximately 20m by 8m, aligned north-west
south-east to take into account the local terrain, centred at
TF 2673 9670. The south west end of the church appears as an
almost solid platform, and this could represent the base of a
collapsed tower. Attached to the north east end of the church
is an enclosure, measuring approximately 8m by 8m, which could
be the nave. The church is enclosed by a rectangular enclosure,
presumably the graveyard, measuring 45m by 45m. A possible
hollow way and boundary are adjacent to the south and north
centred at TF 2669 9665 and TF 2676 9673.
To the east of this, and east of the present road, are the
fragments of another hollow way and a possible building platform,
centred at TF 2681 9666. This is one of the levelled house sites
referred to by authority 8.
To the south of Beesby Hall are more concentrated and extensive
remains of settlement. The snaking hollow way referred to by
authority 9 is centred at TF 2660 9650. A number of hollow ways
branch from this between the tofts and crofts. A mound is
visible, in one of the tofts, centred at TF 2665 9647. From
this area of tofts and crofts a hollow way extends, to the east
of the present road, and is centred at TF 2679 9637. Three
blocks of ridge and furrow, and associated boundaries, are
visible adjacent to the south west of this hollow way. North
of the hollow way are the possible remains of two building
platforms, centred at TF 2680 9643 and TF 2682 9644.
(Morph No. LI.336.1.1-7, 2.1)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
(12)
Domesday refers to Beesby as Baesbi and Besebi, where "Count Alan" held land in 1086. Before 1066, the land had been worth 20 shillings, in 1086 30 shillings. (13) |