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 West Wessex sub-Province of the Central Province, an
area characterised by large numbers of villages and hamlets within
countrysides of great local diversity, ranging from flat marshland to hill
ridges. Settlements range from large, sprawling villages to tiny hamlets, a
range extended by large numbers of scattered dwellings in the extreme east and
west of the sub-Province. Cultivation in open townfields was once present, but
early enclosure was commonplace. The physical diversity of the landscape was,
by the time of Domesday Book in 1086, linked with great variations in the
balance of cleared land and woodland.
The Somerset Levels and Polden Hills local region is divided into two parts by
the low ridge of the Poldens. Settlements are few on the wide green wetlands,
but the land is intricate enough to bring ridges, islands and tongues of
higher land into close contact with the Levels. It is at the junction between
these dry lands and wetlands that ancient villages and hamlets are to be
found.
Details
The monument includes a medieval settlement on the lower slopes of a south
east facing hillside in south Somerset. The land slopes from the higher ground
on the north west to the lower ground adjacent to a tributary of the River Cam
to the south east.
The settlement includes earthworks indicating the sites of houses and other
village features, areas of medieval agriculture and water management features.
On the higher part of the slope are a number of fields or enclosures with
banks 0.75m high and 3m wide. A hollow way about 1m deep and 2m wide runs
north east-south west below the enclosures. This has about six house platforms
on the north west side, each about 15m wide, running back into the hillside.
Below this, on the lower ground, there are water management features which
take advantage of overspill from the river. These water management features
follow the line of the river along the valley bottom and include a bank 1m
high parallel to the river which acts as a barrier to prevent water reaching
the level of the house platforms. At the north east end there is a second bank
closer to the river, 1m high and 7m wide, which is thought to be a water
catchment system. At the south east end there is an enclosure bordering the
river.
Documentary evidence indicates that this settlement was independent of the
manor of Yarlington. The settlement is also mentioned in 14th century
documents.
The post and wire fences which are part of the field boundaries and the field
gates are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is
included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28855
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
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
