More information : (SE 967711) Earthwork (NR). (1)
Excavations by T C M Brewster for MOW on part of the manorial
site affected by the extension of St Andrew's churchyard (SE
967711) uncovered two large buildings, a Roman pit, remains of
garth walls, an oval enclosure later than the 14th century, an
oval pit containing Stamford ware, and the remains of several
small buildings. The large hall and associated rooms, was 64 ft
by 26 ft and constructed of chalk walls 2 ft thick. Ceramic and
documentary evidence show that it was constructed in the early
13th century and abandoned by about 1356.
The second structure of the 12th century was 57ft by 28 ft with
4 1/2 ft thick chalk-slab walls laid in herringbone style. An
eroded Roman coin, RB potsherds, and pustular ware sherds were
found in the wall-bonding. (2)
DMV at Weaverthorpe, excavated in 1951 by D Smith and R H Hayes. (3)
The earthwork encloses two contiguous sub-rectangular areas, the
western approximately 80.0m x 130.0m and the eastern 50.0m x
120.0m.
The western enclosures originally consisted of a bank with an
outer ditch which is still evident on the W. S and part of the E
sides. The bank of the eastern enclosure crosses the ditch at
the SE angle, evidence that the western enclosure was the
primary feature.
The eastern enclosure was also originally contained by a bank,
but on the E side this has been reduced to an outward facing
scarp. In addition it also has an external ditch along the S
side. The primary enclosure clearly pre-dates the manor complex,
the slight visible remains of which overlie the northern part of
its E side.
Despite its Roman characteristics Brewster postulates an
immediate post-conquest date on ceramic evidence from the
primary silting of the ditch. The Roman finds from the site he
attributes to RB settlement of which no surface indications
remain.
Resurveyed at 1:2500
Mr R H Hayes confirms that in 1951 (See Authority 3) during the
Roman excavations at Norton ER, he and D Smith sectioned the
bank and ditch of the primary earthwork at the above site in an
attempt to establish whether or not it was Roman in origin. This
section, which proved to be inconclusive, was the only work
done at that time. (4)
Excavation at Weaverthorpe Manor, 1960. (Full report).
Plan. (5)
SE 966 710. Medieval manor site. Scheduled no. NY/321. (6)
In addition to the manorial earthwork enclosures, air photographs taken in 1997 show probable Medieval village earthworks situated to the south-west of Grits Farm and centred at SE 972 707. These include boundaries, ridge and furrow and corresponding headlands. At least one potential enclosure/house site is visible at SE 9715 7080.
Further banks, probably representing old boundaries, are visible at SE 9641 7092. Also, ridge and furrow showing as cropmarks is visible at SE 971 705. (7-7a)
A small area of poorly defined rectilinear cropmarks was photographed at SE 9713 7061 in 1999. These look like enclosures and may be associated with the medieval village. (8) |