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Summary

Diamond shaped enclosure containing remains of a medieval longhouse and associated buildings and stock enclosures. Entire area within enclosure contains traces of medieval cultivation.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Widow's Tenement. Deserted settlement on Lundy
• Scheduled Monument 1017646: The Widow's Tenement medieval settlement and prehistoric settlement sites, Lundy

Other References/Statuses

• National Trust SMR: 108070
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS14NW/4
• Old SAM County Ref: 736
• Old SAM Ref: 30357
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS14NW/SW5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval - 1066 AD to 1399 AD (Between))

Full description

Gade, F. W., Lundy: Bristol Channel, 18 (Leaflet). SDV6915.

Other details: Official Guide.

Chanter, J. R., 1871, History of Lundy, 553-611 (Article in Serial). SDV6914.

Various small mounds exist scattered about the island, with traces of walls supposed to mark the site of cottages; some of these have traditional names attached to them, such as 'Jock's House', 'Widow's House'.

Lloyd, I. R. W., 1925, Untitled Source, 75 (Monograph). SDV6917.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1962 - 1978, SS14NW/SW5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV6916.

Remains of a small farmhouse with three yards attached, the group lying within a small enclosure. The drystone walls of these features are reduced to low turf and heather covered banks up to 2.0 metres wide and 0.5 metres high.

Gardner, K. S., 1963 - 1964, Untitled Source, 30-1 (Article in Serial). SDV6881.

Gardner, K. S., 1964, Untitled Source, 30 (Article in Serial). SDV17867.

Wilson, D. M. + Hurst, D. G., 1965, Medieval Britain in 1964, 206-7 (Article in Serial). SDV6878.

1965 - 1966, Archaeological Investigations, 31 (Article in Serial). SDV6919.

Wilson, D. M. + Hurst, D. G., 1967, Medieval Britain in 1966, 301-2 (Article in Serial). SDV6880.

Other details: Figure 84.

Anonymous, 1967 - 1968, Untitled Source, 201 (Article in Serial). SDV6923.

Langham, A. + M., 1970, Untitled Source, 24,26,132,140 (Monograph). SDV1268.

Ministry of Public Building and Works, 1970, Widow's Tenement, Medieval Settlement Site, Lundy (Schedule Document). SDV344042.

Area roughly 300 yards square enclosed by a boundary wall of longish boulders up to 2.5 feet high. Within the area near the north-east corner is a complex of drystone walls up to 3 feet high forming at least 3 rectangles. One of these, 18 feet by 45 feet, may be described as a medieval long house. Trenching outside it produced Iron Age pottery and within the building several similar sherds were found on the old land surface. Above these and sealed by the collapsed wall were several 13th century sherds. The ground is rough moorland. Other details: Map.

Gardner, K. S., 1972, Untitled Source, 23-24 (Monograph). SDV5837.

A longhouse with three yards attached, and a small outhouse abutting on the north. Within the longhouse, a cross passage divides the animal byre to the east from the western 'solar', which stands a few feet higher. At the solar end is an alcove, which is possibly a hearth or an oven, and a narrow doorway to the north-west. Other details: Plan, figure 5.

Thomas, J., 1978, A History of Lundy, 1390-1775, 138 (Article in Serial). SDV1273.

A medieval farm probably still in use in 1390. The main building has two rooms, a hall and shippen.

National Trust, 1989, Lundy, Devon. Vol. One, 25-6 (Report - Survey). SDV1275.

A diamond-shaped enclosure of aproximately 17 acres with an outer fence of granite orthostats contains within it the nucleus of Widow's Tenement medieval site: a magnificently preserved longhouse, 14 metres long and 4.5 metres wide. Opposing doors in long north and south walls. East end appears to have been a byre with west end standing several feet higher. Three enclosures attached, on the north-east and south-west sides. Planned in 1967 and excavated in 1969. Medieval potsherds found beneath collapsed wall in south-east corner of byre. The drystone walls are reduced to low banks up to 2.0 metres wide and 0.5 metres high. Other details: 101,042.

National Trust, 1989, Lundy, Devon. Vol. Two, 163-4 (Report - Survey). SDV344019.

National Trust, 1990, Archaeological Landscape Survey of Lundy: Fieldwork Summary, 1990; Proposals For 1991 (Un-published). SDV358936.

Claris, P. D. + Thackray, D. W. R., 1990, Historic Landscape Survey of Lundy: 1st interim report, 27-28 (Article in Serial). SDV6856.

Tenement enclosed by low spread wall circa 1.3 metres wide and 0.4 metres high, mostly turf covered but with some orthostats visible. Yards or buildings built against outer face. Semi-circular earthwork bank on north outer face, may be part of tenement or associated with earlier system.

National Trust, 1996, Compressed Site Reports, Lundy, 108070 (Un-published). SDV344008.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1998, The Widow's Tenement Medieval Settlement and Prehistoric Settlement Sites, Lundy (Schedule Document). SDV6930.

The monument, which falls into two areas, includes a diamond-shaped enclosure of about 7 hectares containing medieval farm buildings and enclosures, close to which is a complex of terraced fields and a medieval longhouse 100 metres to the south-east, which extends down the slope of the cliff above Threequarterwall Bay. Within the enclosure are the remains of huts, cairns and associated field systems of Bronze Age and Iron Age date. The enclosure known as the Widow's Tenement is defined by a double row of granite uprights which probably represent a turf bank which is no longer visible. Within this enclosure, in the middle of its northern half, are the remains of a medieval longhouse with associated buildings and stock enclosures, while some traces of interior walls can be found on the western side. The entire area within the enclosure contains narrow ridge and furrow representing traces of medieval cultivation. Other medieval elements of the complex include a rabbit warren on the north-eastern side, intersected by the enclosure wall. Also at the south-western corner is a stone walled annexe measuring about 70 metres by 40 metres and a similar annexe is attached to the north-western corner where there was an entrance way to the settlement. At the eastern corner is a spring which has been enclosed to form a well with a small building, possibly a well head, above it. At this point the wall uprights have been splayed to allow the passage of the water out over the cliff. There are five millstones scattered within the enclosure.

National Trust, 2002, The Archaeology and Landscape of Lundy: A Field Guide (Monograph). SDV7235.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 118 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Generally satisfactory but with significant localised problems. Principal vulnerability plant growth.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 110 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 112 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Generally satisfactory but with significant localised problems. Stable. Principal vulnerability plant growth.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV13 - SHERD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Events: none recorded

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