Information for record number MWA2257:
Barcheston Shrunken Medieval Settlement

Summary The site of the shrunken settlement of Barcheston, dating to the Medieval period, has been identified on aerial photographs, documentary evidence and through Medieval finds, including a buckle, roof tile and whetstone.
What Is It?  
Type: Shrunken Village
Period: Medieval (1066 AD - 1539 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Barcheston
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 26 39
(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 The village appears in Rous' list. A church and one or two other buildings survive, but the air photograph shows that it was once much more extensive. William Willington, a merchant of the Staple, was presented to the 1517 Inquiry as a depopulator here. His enclosure dates from 1509.
2 Archaeology poor (C), documentary evidence for former existence of a village and for its desertion excellent (1*).
3 Disturbance visible on aerial photographs E of this small village is now either in arable land or ploughed pasture. The field at SP2639 was ploughed some years ago and yielded several bundles of nails and some evidence of paved roads.
5 The field was ploughed for the first time in many years in Summer 1982. The ground disturbance which is evident on the air photographs was not visible in the field. A large number of nails and a quantity of Medieval pottery were found.
6 field marked as 'Town Meadow'.
7 Fragment of barrel padlock, 12th century/13th century, found at SP 27 39.
8 Roof and floor tile and a bronze object recovered from this site in 1997 at SP26703970.
9 Finds discovered by field walking: sherds of pottery.
10 Find of two late Medieval weights at SP26703970 in April 1995. The method of recovery was not recorded.
11 Portable Antiquities Scheme find provenance information: Date found: 2000-03-31T23:00:00Z Methods of discovery: Metal detector
 
Sources

Source No: 4
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title:
Author/originator: J Pickering
Date: 1962
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: SP4489 C/D/E/X
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Museum Enquiry Form
Title: WMEF 3164
Author/originator: Wise P J
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: WM 3164
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Museum Enquiry Form
Title: WMEF 3820
Author/originator: Wise P
Date: 1997
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Museum Enquiry Form
Title: WMEF 3260
Author/originator: Philip Wise
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: E/3260
   
Source No: 10
Source Type: Museum Enquiry Form
Title: WMEF 3366
Author/originator: WM
Date: 1995
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 3366
   
Source No:
Source Type: Internet Data
Title: Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) Database
Author/originator: British Museum
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Map
Title: Sheldon Estate Map
Author/originator:
Date:
Page Number: CR580
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: OS Card 25NE6
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1968
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Serial
Title: DMVRG vol 6 1958
Author/originator:
Date: 1958
Page Number: Appendix B
Volume/Sheet: 6
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 66
Author/originator: Beresford M W
Date: 1945
Page Number: 99
Volume/Sheet: 66
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: SMR Card
Author/originator: PWF
Date: 1982
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: PRN 2272
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source OS Card Ordnance Survey Record Card. Before the 1970s the Ordnance Survey (OS) were responsible for recording archaeological monuments during mapping exercises. This helped the Ordnance Survey to decide which monuments to publish on maps. During these exercises the details of the monuments were written down on record cards. Copies of some of the cards are kept at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. The responsibility for recording archaeological monuments later passed to the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments. back
source SMR Card Sites and Monuments Record Card. The Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record began to be developed during the 1970s. The details of individual archaeological sites and findspots were written on record cards. These record cards were used until the 1990s, when their details were entered on to a computerised system. The record cards are still kept at the office of the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
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 WMEF Warwickshire Museum Enquiry Form. These are forms that are filled in when a person brings an object to Warwickshire Museum to be identified. Amongst the information recorded on the form are details such as a description of the object, where and when it was found, and in some cases a sketch or photographs of it. Copies of the form can be viewed at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique Documentary Evidence Documentary evidence is another name for written records. The first written records in Britain date back to the Roman period. Documentary evidence can take many different forms, including maps, charters, letters and written accounts. When archaeologists are researching a site, they often start by looking at documentary evidence to see if there are clues that will help them understand what they might find. Documentary evidence can help archaeologists understand sites that are discovered during an excavation, field survey or aerial survey. back
technique Aerial Photograph Aerial photographs are taken during an aerial survey, which involves looking at the ground from above. It is usually easier to see cropmarks and earthworks when they are viewed from above. Aerial photographs help archaeologists to record what they see and to identify new sites. There are two kinds of aerial photographs; oblique and vertical. back
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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monument VILLAGE * A collection of dwelling-houses and other buildings, usually larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a simpler organisation and administration than the latter. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument SETTLEMENT * A small concentration of dwellings. 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 FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument SHRUNKEN VILLAGE * A settlement where previous house sites are now unoccupied, but often visible as earthworks, crop or soil marks. back
monument CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument PASTURE * A field covered with herbage for the grazing of livestock. back
monument FIELD * An area of land, often enclosed, used for cultivation or the grazing of livestock. back
monument ENCLOSURE * An area of land enclosed by a boundary ditch, bank, wall, palisade or other similar barrier. Use specific type where known. back
monument MEADOW * A piece of grassland, often near a river, permanently covered with grass which is mown for use as hay. back
monument TOWN * An assemblage of public and private buildings, larger than a village and having more complete and independent local government. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record