| Summary : Earthworks of deserted Medieval village, features identified include a moat, fishpond and mill complex. The moat, a possible hollow way, and a bank (earthwork) are visible as earthworks on air photographs. Also visible on air photographs as cropmarks and earthworks are Medieval/post Medieval field boundaries, post Medieval ditch, bank, and field boundaries, and two pits of uncertain date. |
More information : [SE 41513763] Moat [G.T.]. (1)
Moat discovered by O G S Crawford. Now filled in but quite easily distinguishable. (2)
The slight remains of this moat have been resurveyed at 1:2500. Its dry ditches have been infilled by natural silting processes, not deliberately as implied by Authy. 2. It occupies an unusual low lying non-defensive position in close proximity to Cock Beck, and is overlooked by high ground to the south. No building foundations occur within the central hold which is now under pasture. (3)
Survey of 11.4.62. checked and correct. (4)
Parlington, SE 415376, a sub rectangular moat on low ground beside Cock Beck. Higher up, and probably connected with the moat, a banked and ditched enclosure with building traces. To the south east a deserted Medieval village. (5)
SE 41503755 Field investigation by M Faull and S Moorhouse has
identified a settlement consisting of well defined terraced and hollow-ways, banked enclosures and building platforms one of which yeilded 13th/14th century pottery sherds. The "moat" to the north was identified as probably a series of sub rectangular fish ponds. At SE 41683750 are substantial terraces and platforms, and a mill complex was identified at SE 42133798. The sluice now forms part of Cock Beck. Earthworks and enclosures south east of the mill site possibly represent the site of the miller's house. The mill was still standing and described on a 1st edition OS map ('Hillam Mill Corn' OS 6" Yorks 204 1849). Terraced ways connect the mill complex with the other two settlement sites. Air photographs support these findings and the banked enclosures, south of the moat, are clearly visible but the pattern is less clear. (The statement that the settlement site lies east of Leyfield Farm", SE 41983768, is obviously meant to read "west of Leyfield Farm"). (6-7)
SE 416 376. Hillam, Parlington.
The settlement at Hillam was identified as a result of work on the tenurial structure within Parlington township. This showed that a hamlet division called Hillam existed during the Middle Ages in the northern part of Parlington township, with a settlement bearing the hamlet name and its own composite field system. Field inspection of a number of possible sites for the settlement identified the complex of earthworks to the west of Leyfield farm. The name Hillam means `at the hills' and probably describes the two areas of earthworks on adjacent prominent brows. The name has not been found documented after the 15th century, and although it survived as the name of the medieval mill, shown on the 1st edition 6" OS map, it has now fallen out of use. The name of the hamlet division has been confused with the township and surviving settlement of Hillam in Barkeston Ash wapentake, in the fee of the Archbishop of York, but tenurial associations show that many of the documents previously attributed to this Hillam should refer to the Parlington Hallam. (8)
Additional references. (9-13)
A series of superimposed timber buildings cut into the natural was revealed, bearing no relation to the plan of the overlying earthworks. Much pottery and other finds ranged in date from 12th-15th century, including important groups from two deep garderobe with seat positions. A prominent terraced platform to the N contained at least three superimposed timber buildings, the final two phases of which contained partial unmortared stone sill-walling. Buildings with posts resting on stylobates superseded those with earth-fast posts. A large roofing slate quarry, not visible as an earthwork but detected through geophysical survey, was dug across the main entrance into this part of the site. It contained many stone slates at various stages of roughing-out, together with much pottery of probable mid-15th century date. A contemporary and well-preserved lime-kiln was excavated to the S of the quarry.
This area was chosen because of the well pronounced earthworks. Hand stripping revealed a series of superimposed linear ditches, not reflected in the earthworks and representing enclosure boundaries of different periods. The only structure was part of a timber building cut by the major hollow way to the S. Two garderobe pits were identified, one with a double post seat position. The presumed hollow way to the N was found to be a steep-sided V-shaped ditch, 2m deep, with a 17th century clay pipe bowl at the bottom. The present form of the earthworks probably represents the final stage of a long and complex development of this part of the site throughout the medieval period.
Fishpond complex. Initial results in the Phase I pond showed it to be c.1m deep with a uniform fill and puddled with c.15cm of clean blue clay on the bottom. The S bank had a rammed surface. Work is to continue to examine platforms and other earthworks associated with the ponds. (14)
A Medieval moat, hollow way, and bank (earthwork), a Medieval/post Medieval field boundary, post Medieval ditch, field boundaries, and bank, and a pit of uncertain date, are visible as cropmarks and earthworks on air photographs. They are centred at SE 4150 3754.
The moat is formed by an 11m wide ditch around a 27m by 17m platform. There is a possible causeway towards the south-east corner. The hollow way is visible to the south of the moat and is variously crossed by later field boundaries and ditches. It is worth noting the field boundaries are on a similar alignment to prehistoric/Roman field boundaries to the south.
(15-16)
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