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Summary

A settlement and burial ground comprising the earthwork remains of a chapel, cemetery, medieval defended homestead and midden lie within a field known as Bull's Paradise situated to the west of Manor Farm. The site of Giants Graves, where a number of burials were uncovered in the 19th century, is now mostly under the farm buildings. The area has been interpreted as the medieval manorial centre of the island.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016035: Bull's Paradise and Giants Graves; a settlement and burial ground on Lundy

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS14SW/18
• Old SAM County Ref: 745
• Old SAM Ref: 27645

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SETTLEMENT (IX to Post Medieval - 801 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Ministry of Public Building and Works, 1970, Lundy, Bull's Paradise Settlement Site (Schedule Document). SDV7147.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1998, Bull's Paradise and Giants Graves. A settlement and Burial Ground on Lundy (Schedule Document). SDV344750.

The monument includes earthwork remains of a chapel, cemetery, a medieval defended homestead and a medieval midden contained in two enclosed paddocks to the west of Barton Cottages and Manor Farm north and west of the present village. The larger area, known as Bull's Paradise, has been partly excavated and subject to geophysical survey, revealing remains of a defended medieval homestead. To the east is a smaller paddock containing further remains including an additional part of the homestead. Further remains to the south-east of Bull's Paradise are now covered or levelled by the construction of the Manor Farm buildings and related structures. It is uncertain to what extent the remains survive in this area and so it is not included in the scheduling. The south side of the field, called Bull's Paradise, contains evidence for a possible timber chapel and graves dating from the late 13th to the 17th century. Pottery and a coin of Edward II found on the site have confirmed this date range. The site was probably in use when the farm now called Manor Farm became the primary settlement on the island. Also in this southern area and now mostly under the farm buildings is the site of the Giants Graves. These were uncovered and reported on in the mid 19th century. Glass beads survive as evidence for a 9th century burial here and red pottery reported but now lost may have been samian ware. One of the capstones from this burial site now rests outside the tavern and a pillow stone is in the porch of the church. The defended medieval homestead is believed, from excavation, to have been a strong stone building with an outer ditch and internal yard, dating from the mid 12th century to its deliberate destruction in the mid 13th century. This may then have been replaced by the construction of Marisco Castle. In the area of the cemetery a midden has been identified of 13th to17th century date. This was later dug through for the deposition of further burials. A large grass covered mound on the west side of Bull's Paradise has been shown by trial excavation in 1971 to be a mass of tumbled stone and building material relating to another, as yet undated, homestead. A number of features within the area are excluded from the scheduling; these are the walls on the south, west and east of Bull's Paradise, the walls around the smaller paddock on the east side and two oil tanks built into the south west corner of the smaller paddock, together with their retaining wall; the ground beneath all these features is included. The settlement at Bull's Paradise has been described as a small ringwork although little is known of its structural detail. The area has been interpreted as the manorial centre of the island and as such is of significance in understanding its historical development during the medieval period. Part excavation and geophysical survey of this area have demonstrated the quality of surviving remains.

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

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2006, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV324153.

Scheduled monument consent granted, subject to conditions, for propsed works concerning the removal of existing fuel tanks and replacement with new, including removal of topsoil to allow additional base area to be laid to accommodate bunded tanks.

English Heritage, 2010, Bull's Paradise and Giants Graves. A settlement and Burial Ground on Lundy (Correspondence). SDV345289.

Scheduled monument consent granted, subject to conditions, in respect of proposed works concerning the erection of a temporary building.

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

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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