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 last 1500 years or more.
This monument lies in the Eastern Weald sub-Province of the South-eastern
Province, bounded by the North and South Downs and comprising an oval
arrangement of inward facing escarpments of chalk and sandstone, separated by
clay vales, all ringing a higher sandstone ridge. Apart from concentrations of
nucleated settlements in the Vale of Holmsdale and around Canterbury, the sub-
Province is dominated by high and very high densities of dispersed
settlements, giving a countryside with farmsteads and associated enclosed
fields, of medieval foundation, intermixed with cottages, medieval moated
sites and hamlets bearing the names `green' or `dene'.
In some areas of medieval England settlement was dispersed across the
landscape rather than nucleated into villages. Such dispersed settlement in an
area, usually a township or parish, is defined by the lack of a single (or
principal) nucleated settlement focus such as a village and the presence
instead of small settlement units (small hamlets or farmsteads) spread across
the area. These small settlements normally have a degree of interconnection
with their close neighbours, for example, in relation to shared common land or
road systems. Dispersed settlements varied enormously from region to region,
but where they survive as earthworks their distinguishing features include
other buildings such as barns, enclosed crofts and small enclosed paddocks. In
areas where stone was used for building, the outline of building foundations
may still be clearly visible. Communal areas of the settlements frequently
include features such as bakehouses, pinfolds and ponds. Areas of dispersed
medieval settlement are found in both the South Eastern Province and the
Northern and Western Province of England. They are found in upland and also
some lowland areas. Where found, their archaeological remains are one of the
most important sources of understanding about rural life in the five or more
centuries following the Norman Conquest.
The medieval farmstead 300m north east of Freshfield Farm represents the
predominant dispersed form of medieval rural settlement within the Eastern
Weald sub-Province. The farmstead survives well, in association with its
contemporary closes, exhibiting little subsequent disturbance. Field
investigation has confirmed that the monument will retain archaeological and
environmental evidence relating to the original use and abandonment of the
farmstead.
Details
The monument includes the remains of a medieval farmstead and an area of
associated closes, or small fields, situated on a clay hill which rises
immediately to the north of the Pevensey Levels, around 1.5km south of
Hailsham.
The farmstead and closes survive in the form of earthworks and below ground
remains. Field investigation has located the farmstead near the south western
corner of the monument, where it is visible as a terraced, rectangular
platform edged with low banks. The associated closes cover the remainder of
the monument in an irregular pattern and take the form of at least four small
fields or yards enclosed by shallow banks and ditches. A large surface scatter
of medieval pottery fragments discovered on the ground surface within the
monument indicates that the farmstead was a permanent dwelling in long-term
use.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
