Information for record number MWA1702:
Bascote Shrunken Medieval Settlement

Summary The site of an area of shrunken village at Bascote which dates to the Medieval period. Earthworks of the the deserted settlement are visible at 'The Green' and pottery from this period and the Post Medieval period has been recovered.
What Is It?  
Type: Shrunken Village
Period: Medieval (1066 AD - 1539 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Long Itchington
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 40 63
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

 
Source Number  

1 Spoken of by Dugdale as 'reduced', but in 1730 there were thirteen houses.
2 The extent of shrinkage is unclear, the main depopulation being in a field called 'The Green', with further evidence of depopulation coming from the field S of Manor Farm (PRN 5423). Despite 'The Green' having been ploughed for about eight years it is still possible to trace over a dozen earthworks. The majority are situated on a slope E of the main hollow way, with those in the extreme SE corner being unploughed. The site has produced fairly large amounts of roofing tile, brick, building stone and pottery as well as two pieces of metalwork. The pottery ranges from 12th to 18th century. This probably gives a reasonable indication of the length of occupation. The tile may be Medieval or Post Medieval and there is local white lias building stone.
3 Excavations along the line of a sewer trench in 1996 (EWA3238) revealed the remains of three buildings, together with boundary ditches and walls, a yard surface and a corn dryer. 11th to 15th century pottery was recovered, as was some evidence of industrial activity.
4 Full report on the Excavations undertaken on the easement of the STW pipeline across the area of Medieval settlement earthworks. Includes plot of ploughed out earthworks, with eight tofts recorded adjacent to a holloway. Evidence spanning the 11th to 15th century was reocrd. Extensive Excavation report, including documentary background, specialist reports etc.
 
Sources

Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Long Itchington Parish Survey
Author/originator: Wilson P R
Date: 1979
Page Number: 38
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: WMA
Author/originator: Litherland, S & Ramsey, E
Date: 1996
Page Number: 75-77
Volume/Sheet: 39
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Serial
Title: Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society (TBAS) Vol 112
Author/originator: Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeology Society
Date: 2008
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 112
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 66
Author/originator: Beresford M W
Date: 1945
Page Number: 99
Volume/Sheet: 66
   
Images:  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source TBAS Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
source WMA West Midlands Archaeology. This publication contains a short description for each of the sites where archaeological work has taken place in the previous year. It covers Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire. Some of these descriptions include photographs, plans and drawings of the sites and/or the finds that have been discovered. The publication is produced by the Council For British Archaeology (CBA) West Midlands and is published annually. Copies are held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique Earthwork Earthworks can take the form of banks, ditches and mounds. They are usually created for a specific purpose. A bank, for example, might be the remains of a boundary between two or more fields. Some earthworks may be all that remains of a collapsed building, for example, the grassed-over remains of building foundations.

In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky than during the other seasons, earthworks have larger shadows. From the air, archaeologists are able to see the patterns of the earthworks more easily. Earthworks can sometimes be confusing when viewed at ground level, but from above, the general plan is much clearer.

Archaeologists often carry out an aerial survey or an earthwork survey to help them understand the lumps and bumps they can see on the ground.
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technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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period Post Medieval About 1540 AD to 1750 AD (the 16th century AD to the 18th century AD)

The Post Medieval period comes after the medieval period and before the Imperial period.

This period covers the second half of the reign of the Tudors (1485 – 1603), the reign of the Stuarts (1603 – 1702) and the beginning of the reign of the Hannoverians (1714 – 1836).
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monument YARD * A paved area, generally found at the back of a house. back
monument HOUSE * A building for human habitation, especially a dwelling place. Use more specific type where known. back
monument MANOR FARM * A farm on the estate of a manor. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument SETTLEMENT * A small concentration of dwellings. back
monument TOFT * The place where a house stood or had once stood, often adjoining a garth or croft. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument SEWER * A large drain or conduit for carrying away wastes. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument SHRUNKEN VILLAGE * A settlement where previous house sites are now unoccupied, but often visible as earthworks, crop or soil marks. back
monument BOUNDARY DITCH * A ditch that indicates the limit of an area or a piece of land. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument DESERTED SETTLEMENT * An abandoned settlement, usually of the Medieval period, often visible only as earthworks or on aerial photographs. back
monument WELL * A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water. back
monument FIELD * An area of land, often enclosed, used for cultivation or the grazing of livestock. back
monument TRENCH * An excavation used as a means of concealment, protection or both. back
monument PIPELINE * A conduit or pipes, used primarily for conveying petroleum from oil wells to a refinery, or for supplying water to a town or district, etc. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument EARTHWORK * A bank or mound of earth used as a rampart or fortification. back
monument HOLLOW WAY * A way, path or road through a cutting. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record