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Summary

SHRUNKEN SETTLEMENT REMAINS AT CAENBY

Full description

PRN 50510
The manorial history of Caenby is bound up with Glentham to its north and is difficult to disentangle in detail. This is reflected in the topographical relationship of the two settlements, which run together. Mentioned in Domesday, the village was divided between two principal holdings for much of the Middle Ages: a manorial holding which from the early 14th century was the principal residence of the Tournay family (probably focussed on the moated site at manor farm - PRN 50283), and a manor held by Barlings Abbey (probably focussed on the remains of the medieval building at Old Hall Farm - PRN 51061). The abbey's possessions were granted to Charles Brandon at the Dissolution and subsequently bought up by Edward Tournay in 1675. Documentary evidence suggests a major period of settlement shrinkage in the early 14th century, some recovery, but a further low in the late 16th and 17th centuries. Nineteenth century recovery was halved by the mid 20th century, and the population is at present fairly static with housing mainly grouped on the edge of Glentham village. The settlement is sited on a low curving ridge which determines its linear form - the modern road largely follows the main medieval settlement street, which continues south as a holloway to the church. On the west are surviving earthworks of 6 long closes with traces of building platforms and yards against the street. This pattern is continued northwards by existing and ploughed-out property boundaries - some of which overlie ridge-and-furrow and suggest either later extension of the properties or more likely a planned development of the settlement. The close north of the church shows faint soilmarks of further village property boundaries though it is unclear whether these were also long closes or more compact and perhaps older properties. On the east side of the road is a single surviving earthwork property, probably on top of ridge-and- furrow. To the north a few remaining 18th century houses may stand on earlier sites. {1}

See Paul Everson's archive notes for a detailed history and description. {1}

There is a 1978 RCHM 1:1500 plan in the HER map tank. {2}

The land owner of field SK 9965 8930 has reported finds of what he thinks are foundations from buildings of the medieval settlement. This has not been confirmed. {8}

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken during the groundworks for a detached house on a vacant building plot on Main Street, Caenby. The work identified a number of ditches that, although undated, are probably associated with medieval earthworks or settlement activity. In particular, it is possible that a large and shallow ditch found towards the north-west of the site may be the remnant of a medieval earthwork corresponding to that on the other side of Main Street, and that the land was levelled to accommodate later buildings. The watching brief also identified a boundary wall of probable post medieval date. {9}{10}

<01> P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn, 1991, Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire, pvii;ARCHIVE NOTES (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1063.

<02> RCHME, 1978, Earthwork survey of Caenby parish, 1:1500 in map tank (Map). SLI3605.

<03> Paul Everson, 1975-90, RCHM, 5170/28,1977, (Aerial Photograph). SLI196.

<04> Paul Everson, 1975-90, RCHM, 2942/18,1980, (Aerial Photograph). SLI196.

<05> Paul Everson, 1975-90, RCHM, 2990/23,1977, (Aerial Photograph). SLI150.

<06> Paul Everson, 1975-90, RCHM, 2971/27,1979, (Aerial Photograph). SLI150.

<07> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1992-1996, National Mapping Programme, TF0089:LI.49.2.1-8;3.1,1994, (Map). SLI3613.

<08> 2002, Land at Caenby medieval settlement (Verbal Communication). SLI7527.

<09> Pre-Construct Archaeology, Jan 2004, Building Plot, Main Street, Caenby: Archaeological Watching Brief Report, MLCA04 (Report). SLI9410.

<10> Pre-Construct Archaeology, Jan 2004, Building Plot, Main Street, Caenby: Archaeological Watching Brief Report, LCNCC 2004.17 (Archive). SLI9411.

Monument Types

• DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SHRUNKEN VILLAGE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD? to 1900 AD?)

Associated Events

• Earthwork survey of Caenby parish
• Building Plot, Main Street, Caenby

Protected Status

• SHINE
• SHINE

Sources and further reading

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