Information for record number MWA3268:
Little Virginia, Castle Hill, Kenilworth

Summary A group of eight detatched cottages, 15 buildings in total, which are believed to have been built during the Post Medieval period. They were renovated in the late 20th century and archaeological investigation dated several walls to the 17th century. They are situated on Castle Hill.
What Is It?  
Type: House
Period: Post-medieval - Modern (1540 AD - 2050 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Kenilworth
District: Warwick, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 28 72
(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: )
Scheduled Monument (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 The group of cottages known as Little Virginia lies immediately to the E of Kenilworth Castle: traditionally the buildings are Elizabethan (said to have been put up by the masons carrying out Robert Dudley's works at the Castle - but there is no evidence to support this) and in 1973 the 8 detached groups of 15 buildings were lying delapidated. Work began to completely renovate them (within the context of keeping up the original character) and at the same time the Kenilworth History and Archaeological Society did some work recording features of most of the original cottages and doing limited excavation. The latter revealed a wall possibly dated (by the pottery) to 13th century (probably part of the precinct wall for Kenilworth Abbey), several 17th century walls (again dated by pottery), and evidence of stone working between these times.
2 Nothing conclusive concerning dating the buildings was discovered, however, and now the houses are renovated in excellent condition.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: An Account of Observations and Work Carried Out at Little Virginia, Kenilworth, During Spring 1973
Author/originator: Sunley H L G
Date: 1977
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No:
Source Type: Monograph
Title: Kenilworth: The Story of the Abbey
Author/originator: Sunley, H and Stevens, N
Date: 1995
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: SMR Card
Author/originator: Thompson D J
Date: 1983
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: PRN 3599
   
Images:  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
none Scheduled Monument Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) are those archaeological sites which are legally recognised as being of national importance. They can range in date from prehistoric times to the Cold War period. They can take many different forms, including disused buildings or sites surviving as earthworks or cropmarks.

SAMs are protected by law from unlicensed disturbance and metal detecting. Written consent from the Secretary of State must be obtained before any sort of work can begin, including archaeological work such as geophysical survey or archaeological excavation. There are nearly 200 SAMs in Warwickshire.
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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
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 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.
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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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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.
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monument HOUSE * A building for human habitation, especially a dwelling place. Use more specific type where known. 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 STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument ABBEY * A religious house governed by an abbot or abbess. Use with narrow terms of DOUBLE HOUSE, MONASTERY or NUNNERY. back
monument CASTLE * A fortress and dwelling, usually medieval in origin, and often consisting of a keep, curtain wall and towers etc. back
monument SPRING * A point where water issues naturally from the rock or soil onto the ground or into a body of surface water. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument WORKS * Usually a complex of buildings for the processing of raw materials. Use specific type where known. back
monument PRECINCT WALL * A wall enclosing a precinct. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record