Manorial settlement at Weston Manor

Reasons for Designation

Medieval manorial settlements, comprising small groups of houses with associated gardens, yards and paddocks, supported communities devoted primarily to agriculture, and acted as the foci for manorial administration. Although the sites of many of these settlements have been occupied continuously down to the present day, many others declined in size or were abandoned at some time during the medieval and post-medieval periods, particularly during the 14th and 15th centuries. The reasons for desertion were varied but often reflected declining economic viability, changes in land- use such as enclosure or emparkment, or population fluctuations as a result of widespread epidemics such as the Black Death. As a consequence of their abandonment, these settlements are frequently undisturbed by later occupation and contain well-preserved archaeological deposits, providing information on the diversity of medieval settlement patterns and farming economy, and on the structure and changing fortunes of manorial communities.

The site of Weston Manor survives comparatively well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. This is one of two broadly contemporary settlement sites which occur in close proximity. Together these will give an insight into medieval occupation in this area, and the economy and fortunes of the site's inhabitants, between the 12th and 16th centuries AD.

Details

The monument includes the site of Weston Manor, a manorial settlement situated on a low ridge overlooking a surrounding area of Levels to the south and overlooked by higher ground to the north. The site survives in the form of both upstanding and buried remains. The upstanding remains of the manor building itself survive as masonry incorporated into the boundary wall which currently encloses part of the site. The main occurrence is in the south western corner, although this is now partially obscured by vegetation. Buried remains survive across the remainder of the site. In places these have been infilled or covered but some remain visible as upstanding earthworks. The site of the manor is confirmed by its depiction on the 1838 Tithe Map, which shows the shell of the former manor house occupying the entire area of an orchard, the boundaries of which partly remain. In addition, the manor at Weston in Gordano is known from historical sources to have been held by the Perceval family from the period after the Norman Conquest until 1692. Although the family is thought to have been resident by the late 12th century AD, the manor house was not constructed until around 1430; it was subsequently ornamented during the late 15th to early 16th centuries. The manor was ransacked and partly demolished during the Civil War. A broadly contemporary moated site with evidence for industrial activity is sited c.50m to the east, and may represent the manorial site's earlier location. Excluded from the scheduling are all fence posts, although the underlying ground is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

22859

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Collinson, J, History of Somerset, (1791), 171-6
Collinson, J, History of Somerset, (1791), 171-6
Anderson, , Genealogical History of the House of Yvery, (1742), 421-2
Anderson, , Genealogical History of the House of Yvery, (1742), 421-2

Other
Title: Source Date: Author: Publisher: Surveyor: Site shown on 1834 Tithe Map
Mention of period of occupation,

End of official list entry

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