Reasons for Designation
Medieval rural settlements in England were marked by great regional diversity
in form, size and type, and the protection of their archaeological remains
needs to take these differences into account. To do this, England has been
divided into three broad Provinces on the basis of each area's distinctive
mixture of nucleated and dispersed settlements. These can be further divided
into sub-Provinces and local regions, possessing characteristics which have
gradually evolved during the past 1500 years or more.
The Northern Vale of York local region has been identified on two criteria.
First, it contains low numbers of nucleations when compared with the rest of
the sub-Province: village depopulation may partly account for this. Secondly,
there are greater densities of dispersed settlement than is normal for the
sub-Province, a phenomenon which cannot yet be fully explained.
Details
The monument includes the remains of the medieval village of Lazenby. The
monument is located on the east bank of the River Wiske in the lowlands south
of the River Tees. The monument occupies an area around Lazenby Hall.
The remains of the village include substantial earthworks representing
rectangular house platforms with associated enclosures clustered around a
network of hollow ways and sunken roads. There are a group of three yards or
paddocks along the north boundary of the monument. In the centre of the
monument is a large rectangular platform 43m north to south and 31m east to
west. To the east of this is an uneven mound 1m high and 14m in diameter which
may be the remains of a dovecote or a windmill base. In the south west area of
the monument, in the low lying ground near the river, are the shallow
earthwork remains of possible fishponds and other water management features.
There is a boundary bank marking the edge of the village surviving along the
north and to a lesser extent the west side of the monument.
In the north east corner and north west of the monument are two small sections
of preserved ridge and furrow, the remnants of the medieval field system.
Lazenby Hall, which is Listed Grade II*, dates from the early 17th century,
lies on the higher ground in western part of the former village and may have
been the site of a manor house for the village. The Hall and its gardens and
adjacent buildings and yards are not included in the monument.
The village of Lazenby is mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1086 and by
1301 had 13 households. The monument lies immediately east of the current
village of Danby Wiske which is a planned medieval village. It is thought that
Lazenby may have been abandoned during the 14th century and the settlement
focus relocated across the river into a planned settlement centred around the
manor and church at the south of Danby Wiske.
Lazenby Hall and associated buildings, yards and gardens are excluded from the
scheduling. All other gates, fences and road surfaces are excluded from the
scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
31339
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
