Information for record number MWA537:
Deserted Medieval Settlement east of Oversley Castle

Summary The site of a deserted settlement of Medieval date within the outer enclosure of Boteler's Castle, suggested by earthworks and a scatter of pottery sherds. Evidence suggests that it was abandoned by the mid thirteenth century. The site lies 200m east of Oversley Castle.
What Is It?  
Type: Deserted Settlement, Ditch, Trackway, Post Hole, Malt Kiln, Rubbish Pit, Cess Pit, Well, Feature, Feature
Period: Medieval (1066 AD - 1539 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Alcester
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 08 55
(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 A small U-sectioned feature, 2m wide and 1.5m deep (N section), 1.7m wide and 1.2m deep (S section) and lying NW/SE. It was cut through from a cobbled layer lying 0.8m below ground surface. The fill was stiff dark orange brown sandy loam containing small pieces of charcoal, animal bone and body sherds. The pottery was unglazed cooking pot with largish white shiny gruts. The pottery is C13, with perhaps some sherds dating from the C12.
2 Dense scatter of dark C12-C13 coarse cooking pot observed indicates the location of a Medieval settlement.
3 In 1989 field walking recovered a quantity of saxon and Medieval pottery. A small quantity of romano british pottery was also recovered.
4The most extensive and important remains revealed by the evaluation were of the massive outer enclosure ditch, 7.8m wide x 2.45 deep to the north, and 6.7m wide x 3.4m deep to the south, and an internal bank possibly c.5.5m wide. A large quantity of domestic rubbish was recovered from the fills of trenches 5 and 8. A rock cut well was found and a possible midden layer.
5 Medieval features which were dated by pottery suggested that the occupation in the Outer Bailey should be dated between the mid 12th and early/mid 13th century. It proved difficult to separate the features chronologically. Evidence for a number of buildings was obtained, virtually all of which were of timber. A well preserved malting kiln was found and two adjacent subrectangular cess pits. Relatively large quantities of finds were recovered, including animal bone and environmental samples. Two east - west trackways were identified.
6 Understanding the character of the settlement in the outer enclosure of the castle was set as one of the main aims of the excavations. Either it was a village, established around the caslte or possibly before the castle, and then deserted when the castle was abandoned, or it was a large outer Bailey forming part of the castle itself, with a military function. Evidence from the excavations suggests that this settlement represents a defended village attached to the castle. Pottery evidence suggests that occupation within the excavated area seems to have ceased in the early decades of the 13th century. Other finds included domestic and agricultural metalwork, some weaponry and metalworking residues. Analysis of the botanical remains recovered identified mostly cereal remains and associated weeds, and small numbers of hazel, apple, pea and beans.
7 See also
1 above. Watching brief recorded at SP085559 "a small U sectioned feature, 2m wide and 1.5m deep (northern section) and lying NW/SE. […] there was one fill - a stiff dark orange brown sandy loam containing small pieces of charcoal, animal bone (cow), and many sherds of pottery". Pottery probably 13th century, some possibly 12th century. Thought to be a Medieval domestic rubbish pit. Cut through an extensive cobble surface (recorded as extending over 15m to the SW) 0.80m below the surface at this point. Second feature recorded c. 75m to south-west (area A) recorded as cut from the same level but otherwise undated.
8 Oversley castle is thought to have had a castle gate settlement, but half of the proposed building plots may never have been occupied and the site was abandoned in the early 13th century.
 
Sources
Source No: 4
Source Type: Archaeological Report
Title: A435 Bypass, Phase 2: Part I, 1992: Boteler's Castle, Archaeological Field Evaluations.
Author/originator: Stuart Palmer
Date: 1993
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Article in serial
Title: Symbols of Status in Medieval Warwickshire (1000-1500)
Author/originator: Hook D
Date: 2014
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 117
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: Possible DMS east of Oversley Castle
Author/originator: Dyer C
Date: 1989
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: WMANS
Author/originator: Ford D
Date: 1977
Page Number: 10
Volume/Sheet: 20
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: A435 Bypass: Excavations in the Outer Bailey of Boteler's Castle: Interim Report and Post Excavation Proposal.
Author/originator: Palmer S C
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Serial
Title: Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society (TBAS) Vol 101
Author/originator: Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeology Society
Date: 1997
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 101
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: Info in WM archive
Author/originator:
Date: 1989
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Watching Brief Report
Title: Watching Brief on water pipeline trench, Oversley Parish, Alcester, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Ford, D
Date: 1977
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
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 WM Warwickshire Museum Aerial Photograph Collection. A collection of oblique and vertical aerial photographs and taken by various organisations and individuals, including the Royal Airforce, The Potato Board, Warwickshire Museum. The collection is held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
source WMANS West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet, a publication that was produced each year, this later became West Midlands Archaeology. The West Midlands Arcaheological News Sheet contains reports about archaeological work that was carried out in the West Midlands region in the previous year. It includes information about sites dating from the Prehistoric to the Post Medieval periods. It was produced the Department of Extramural Studies at Birmingham University. 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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technique Environmental Sample Plant and animal remains, such as fish bones, seeds, snails and even beetles, are organic materials. They can survive in the ground for hundreds of years given the right conditions. Archaeologists collect these environmental remains from archaeological sites to find out about the past environment and activities such as farming.

Seeds, pollen, insects and wood all survive well in waterlogged soil, whilst shell and bone survive well in chalky soil. If seeds get accidentally burned, for example in an oven, they will survive for hundreds of years. It is difficult to spot these tiny remains in the soil so archaeologists take soil samples from archaeological sites. The soil particles are then washed in a special tank so that they can be separated from any seeds, pollen and insect remains. The environmental remains are kept in glass tubes and are taken to the laboratory to be identified and analysed.
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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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monument LAYER * An archaeological unit of soil in a horizontal plane which may seal features or be cut through by other features. back
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 KILN * A furnace or oven for burning, baking or drying. Use 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 MALT KILN * A kiln with a pyramid roof and capped vent in which barley is dried. Found on the site of a malt house. back
monument RUBBISH PIT * A pit where domestic waste material is deposited. back
monument CESS PIT * A pit for the reception of night-soil and refuse. back
monument MIDDEN * A refuse heap. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument CASTLE * A fortress and dwelling, usually medieval in origin, and often consisting of a keep, curtain wall and towers etc. 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 ENCLOSURE * An area of land enclosed by a boundary ditch, bank, wall, palisade or other similar barrier. Use specific type where known. back
monument TRENCH * An excavation used as a means of concealment, protection or both. back
monument DITCH * A long and narrow hollow or trench dug in the ground, often used to carry water though it may be dry for much of the year. 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 TRACKWAY * A pathway, not necessarily designed as such, beaten down by the feet of travellers. back
monument BAILEY * The courtyard of a castle, ie. the area enclosed by the rampart or curtain. Use with wider site type where known. back
monument GATE * A movable stucture which enables or prevents entrance to be gained. Usually situated in a wall or similar barrier and supported by gate posts. back
monument POST HOLE * A hole dug to provide a firm base for an upright post, often with stone packing. Use broader monument type where known. back
monument DOMESTIC * This is the top term for the class. See DOMESTIC Class List for narrow terms. back
monument EARTHWORK * A bank or mound of earth used as a rampart or fortification. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record