Information for record number MWA273:
Atherstone Town

Summary The characteristics of the layout of town of Atherstone can be traced from the Medieval period through to the present day. Although changes were made in later times, the Medieval layout of the town has not altered fundamentally.
What Is It?  
Type: Town
Period: Medieval - Modern (1066 AD - 2050 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Atherstone
District: North Warwickshire, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 30 98
(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 Atherstone appears to have been a planned town with regular burgage apportionments. It consisted of Long St, halfway along the north east side of which was the Market Place and behind that, the church. Behind the houses on the Long St fronted the burgage plots ran straight back. On either side of the street a back lane ran along the rear of the burgage properties. Post-medieval - the burgage plots were built up with rows of one or two roomed cottages - probably originally of one storey. These formed the 'yards'. Imperial - Many of the terraced houses seem to have been rebuilt, but the basic layout of two rows of terrace houses running down the sides of each burgage plot, remained the same. 1960's - nearly all the yards have been removed and large open spaces created behind Long Street, thus obliterating the last traces of the medieval burgage plots.
2 The layout was still in existence in 1716. On either side of the street a back lane ran along the rear of the Burgage properties.
3 The layout of Atherstone was designed to meet the needs of medieval peasants, and despite all changes in land-use has not altered fundamentally since, leaving it a typical "manorial" "street" town.
4 SMR card missing, November 2005.
 
Sources
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title:
Author/originator: Clavering E
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Map
Title: Town Map
Author/originator:
Date: 1716
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: SMR card : text
Author/originator: JMG
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Verbal communication
Title: Comments on SMR entries
Author/originator: Hester Hawkes
Date: 2002 onwards
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
back to top

Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
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
period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
more -> 		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.
more -> 		back
period Imperial 1751 AD to 1914 AD (end of the 18th century AD to the beginning of the 20th century AD)

This period comes after the Post Medieval period and before the modern period and starts with beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. It includes the second part of the Hannoverian period (1714 – 1836) and the Victorian period (1837 – 1901). The Imperial period ends with the start of the First World War in 1914.
more -> 		back
period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
more -> 		back
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 TERRACED HOUSE * A house in a line of houses attached to and adjoining one another and planned and built as one unit. back
monument CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument BURGAGE PLOT * A plot of land longer than it is wide, can include any structures on it. Typical of medieval towns. back
monument ROW * A row of buildings built during different periods, as opposed to a TERRACE. back
monument MARKET PLACE * An area, often consisting of widened streets or a town square, where booths and stalls may be erected for public sales. back
monument TOWN * An assemblage of public and private buildings, larger than a village and having more complete and independent local government. back
monument TERRACE * A row of houses attached to and adjoining one another and planned and built as one unit. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record