Information for record number MWA116:
Church of St John the Baptist, Middleton

Summary The church of St. John the Baptist, originally built during the Medieval period with later additions. It is situated in the village of Middleton.
What Is It?  
Type: Church, Graffito
Period: Medieval - Industrial (1066 AD - 1900 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Middleton
District: North Warwickshire, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 17 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: )
Listed Building (Grade: II*)
Sites & Monuments Record
Picture(s) attached

  
Description

  
Source Number  

1 12th century chancel and south wall of nave. Remainder of nave and N aisle late 13th century. 15th century W tower. 18th century S porch. Restored 18th century and 1876. Monuments and 15th century screen.
2 There was a priest in Middleton in 1086.
3 An interesting bell-frame exists in the church tower.
4 Replacement of the nave roof in 1993 led to the discovery of a collection of mainly 18th century graffiti. A total of 103 grafifiti, 57 on the nave roof and 46 on the chancel. Most of the graffiti was in the form of feet, but there were also a number of hands, and a small category of symbols. Comparisons are available at Halford, Warks, and Canons Ashby, Northants, and Brodesley, Hereford and Worcester. The reason for and authorship of the work is uncertain; it could be the work of local inhabitants.
5 Photo.
6 As part of an evaluation a trial trench was excavated on the edge of a platform thought to represent the remains of the 13th century manor house; however there was an almost entire absence of Medieval material.
7 N wall includes reset Norman stones. ? pillar bases suggest floor lower than Medieval one. Base of cross shaft in churchyard. Heating ducts - along nave & N aisle. Substantial floor lowering in nave & N aisle. Up to about 30cm in W, 10cm in E. Shallow drainage channel around outside walls - probably not below original exterior ground surface. ?Ditch outside original churchyard boundary. Also platform extending from under school, into graveyard. Survival of below-floor deposits inside church probably poor because of floor lowering. platform extending into churchyard on W, has high archaeological potential as early manor house site.
8 A watching brief on drainage works showed that all the areas excavated had previously been disturbed by the earlier drainage runs. No significant archaeological deposits were encountered.
9 The excavation of a single trial trench within the western corner of the cemetery (SP17619833), in an area which may have overlain the remains of a Medieval manor house, revealed no evidence of this possible manor. Three undated field boundary ditches were identified, which probably defined the extent of the Medieval field system.
10 Copy of the brief for recording the graffiti footprints.
11 Graphic material recording the footprints.
 
Sources
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: TBAS vol 63
Author/originator: Chatwin P B
Date: 1939
Page Number: 89-90
Volume/Sheet: 63
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 4, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1947
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 4
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Desk Top Study
Title: LBL
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1951
Page Number: 5
Volume/Sheet: Tamworth Rural
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: Arch Church Ass
Author/originator: Hodder M A
Date: 1990
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: Church of St John the Baptist, Archaeological Recording of Graffiti on Roof
Author/originator: Palmer N and Moore P
Date: 1993
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: Church of St.John the Baptist, Middleton, Warwickshire, Archaeological Evaluation
Author/originator: Palmer S
Date: 1993
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: Archaeological Evaluation at the Church of St John the Baptist, Middleton, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Gethin B
Date: 2004
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Report No 0428
   
Source No: 11
Source Type: Graphic material
Title: Footprint graffiti from the Church of John the Baptist, Middleton
Author/originator: R.A.Smeeton, Architect
Date: 1992
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: SMR card: photograph
Author/originator:
Date: 2005
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 10
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: Brief for recording Foot Graffiti on the roof of St John the Baptist Church, Middleton
Author/originator:
Date: pre 1992
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Watching Brief Report
Title: The Church of St John the Baptist, Middleton, Warwickshire: A report on a watching brief
Author/originator: Stone R
Date: 1998
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
St John the Baptist Church, Middleton
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 1977
Click here for larger image  
 
Handprint with initials and the year 1777 carved onto the roof of the church, Middleton
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 1993
Click here for larger image  
 
Footprint with initials and the date carved onto the roof of the church, Middleton
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 1993
Click here for larger image  
 
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
designation Listed Building Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.

Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
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source LBL Listed Building List. Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a list. Buildings placed on the list are protected through various planning and conservation acts which ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them. The Listed Buildings List is compiled and maintained by English Heritage. It includes details of where the building is, when it was built, a description of its appearance, and any other special features. 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
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 Trial Trench A small regular hole that is usually square or rectangular in shape. Archaeologists dig trial trenches to discover if there are any archaeological remains at a particular location. See also excavation. 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 SHAFT * Use only if function unknown, otherwise use specific type. 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 SCHOOL * An establishment in which people, usually children, are taught. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument MANOR HOUSE * The principal house of a manor or village. back
monument ARCH * A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument BOUNDARY * The limit to an area as defined on a map or by a marker of some form, eg. BOUNDARY WALL. Use specific type where known. back
monument FOOTPRINT * An impression made in soft ground by a passing animal or human. The soft ground may have subsequently hardened. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument GRAFFITI * Casual scribbles or pictographs on ancient walls, stones or other surfaces. In more recent times applied to humourous, satiric or obscene writings or drawings executed anonymously in public places. back
monument CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument BOUNDARY DITCH * A ditch that indicates the limit of an area or a piece of land. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument FIELD * An area of land, often enclosed, used for cultivation or the grazing of livestock. back
monument FIELD SYSTEM * A group or complex of fields which appear to form a coherent whole. Use more specific type where known. back
monument PLATFORM * Unspecified. Use specific type where known. back
monument CEMETERY * An area of ground, set apart for the burial of the dead. back
monument MANOR * An area of land consisting of the lord's demesne and of lands from whose holders he may exact certain fees, etc. back
monument CHURCHYARD * An area of ground belonging to a church, often used as a burial ground. 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 CROSS * A free-standing structure, in the form of a cross (+), symbolizing the structure on which Jesus Christ was crucified and sacred to the Christian faith. Use specific type where known. 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

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record