Information for record number MWA6305:
The probable extent of the Medieval Settlement of Chesterton

Summary The medieval village of Chesterton Magna. The village became depopulated during the medieval period. The remains of the medieval village and areas of ridge and furrow are visible as earthworks.
What Is It?  
Type: Shrunken Village, Ridge And Furrow
Period: Medieval (1066 AD - 1539 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Chesterton and Kingston
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 34 58
(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 Shrunken village of Chesterton Magna. This is still a dispersed village. Beresford places the site in 'Town Grounds'/'Little Town' (cSP3458). Rous lists depopulation here and reports 79 families in the time of Edward I (1272-1307). Information indicates that the depopulation probably occurred before 1489.
3 In the centre of the parish a remarkable series of earthworks represents a polyfocal settlement whose several elements collectively make up the village of Chesterton Magna.
4 Plan.
5 Descriptive text.
6
7 The possible remains of medieval settlement are visible on aerial photographs and have been mapped as part of the SE Warwickshire and Cotswolds HLS NMP project. Many of the earthwork features visible to the west, northwest and northeast of Green Farm, Chesterton Green (centred at SP 3465 5855 and SP 3495 5852) are most likely to be natural streams and ditches or constructed drainage ditches. The ditches have subsequently been plough levelled to the west of Green Farm. To the northweast of lodge Farm are some ditches bounding ridge and furrow and a series of parallel ditches centred at SP 3516 5864 which may be croft boundaries extending from the road to lodge Farm, though no building remains of building platforms were visible. These earthworks have been subsequently plough levelled and are now visible as cropmarks. There are field boundary remains and a probable hollow way to the east of Green Farm and Oak House. The hollow way extends from SP 6509 5849 and curves southwards to the east of an escarpment to SP 3466 5802. These earthworks are still visible on recent aerial photographs. An area of settlement known in the Warwickshire Historic Environment Record as 'Netherend' Shrunken medieval settlement is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs. This is located to the south east of lodge Farm. The site is centred on SP 35266 58581 and comprises four probable crofts, a hollow way, a building and a possible stock enclosure. The two central crofts are the best preserved, are oriented NE-SW and measure 50 metres by 30 metres and 38 metres by 23 metres. The hollow way extends between SP 35184 58525 and SP 35160 58492. The probable building is defined by a ditch defining a rectangular area. It is centred on SP 35188 58517 and appears to front onto the hollow way and a NE facing entrance. The probable stock enclosure is defined by three curvilinear sides, and is centred on SP 35354 58628. A bank is visible flanking the interior edge of the southern side. A circular mound 15m in diameter with a central scoop is visible centred at SP 3498 5852 on aerial photographs taken in 1953 and may be the windmill site described in Monument Number 335348.
8 The monument polygon was expanded to encompass all areas of medeival settlement at Chesterton, except for Church End. The mound suggested as a mill mound does exist but may actually be a tree hole. The valley bottom site is not suitable for a windmill.
 
Sources
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Field and Forest
Author/originator: Slater T R and Jarvis P J
Date: 1982
Page Number: 157
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Chesterton Magna
Author/originator: Bond C J
Date: 1966
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Desk Top Study
Title: SE Warwickshire and Cotswolds NMP Project
Author/originator: Amanda Dickson
Date: 2010-2012
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Desk Top Study
Title: SE Warwickshire and Cotswolds NMP Project
Author/originator: Russell Priest
Date: 2010-2012
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Plan
Title: Field and Forest
Author/originator: Slater T R and Jarvis P J
Date: 1982
Page Number: Fig 7:1
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: OS Card 25NE6
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1968
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 66
Author/originator: Beresford M
Date: 1945
Page Number: 89
Volume/Sheet: 66
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Verbal communication
Title: Pers. Comm.
Author/originator: B Gethin
Date: 2013 onwards
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
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 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
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 Cropmark Cropmarks appear as light and dark marks in growing and ripening crops. These marks relate to differences in the soil below. For example, parched lines of grass may indicate stone walls. Crops that grow over stone features often ripen more quickly and are shorter than the surrounding crop. This is because there is less moisture in the soil where the wall lies.

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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 HOUSE * A building for human habitation, especially a dwelling place. Use more specific type where known. 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 WINDMILL * A tower-like structure of wood or brick with a wooden cap and sails which are driven around by the wind producing power to work the internal machinery. Use with product type where known. back
monument LODGE * A small building, often inhabited by a gatekeeper, gamekeeper or similar. 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 RIDGE AND FURROW * A series of long, raised ridges separated by ditches used to prepare the ground for arable cultivation. This was a technique, characteristic of the medieval period. back
monument SHRUNKEN VILLAGE * A settlement where previous house sites are now unoccupied, but often visible as earthworks, crop or soil marks. back
monument MILL * A factory used for processing raw materials. Use more specific mill type where known. See also TEXTILE MILL, for more narrow terms. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. 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 BUILDING PLATFORM * A site where a building once stood as identified by a level area of ground, often compacted or made from man-made materials. Use only where specific function is unknown, otherwise use more specific term. back
monument FIELD * An area of land, often enclosed, used for cultivation or the grazing of livestock. back
monument STOCK ENCLOSURE * A pound for the accommodation of livestock. 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 FIELD BOUNDARY * The limit line of a field. back
monument CROFT * An enclosed piece of land adjoining a house. back
monument DRAINAGE DITCH * A long, narrow ditch designed to carry water away from a waterlogged area. back
monument STREAM * A natural flow or current of water issuing from a source. back
monument MOUND * A natural or artificial elevation of earth or stones, such as the earth heaped upon a grave. Use more specific type where known. back
monument FARM * A tract of land, often including a farmhouse and ancillary buildings, used for the purpose of cultivation and the rearing of livestock, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument TOWN * An assemblage of public and private buildings, larger than a village and having more complete and independent local government. back
monument FOREST * A large tract of land covered with trees and interspersed with open areas of land. Traditionally forests were owned by the monarchy and had their own laws. 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