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 Yorkshire Dales local region is broadly an extension of the lowlands into
the hill mass of the Pennines, but increasing environmental constraints have
ensured that each dale has developed particular and often wholly local
characteristics. The villages and hamlets on the valley side terraces of the
lower and middle dales appear to be of medieval foundation, while the
surrounding farmstead sites vary greatly in date, from early medieval to 19th
century.
Details
This monument includes buried and earthwork remains of part of the medieval
settlement of Hutton Magna, situated to the north, south and west of the
present churchyard and immediately south east of the manor house known as
Hutton Hall. The settlement is visible as the remains of a series of
rectangular buildings of long house form, placed around parts of three sides
of an open space, interpreted as a large, roughly rectangular village green.
More than one phase of settlement is believed to be represented by the remains
at Hutton Magna.
At the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086, Hutton Magna, then known as Hotune
or Huttone, was described as having six geld carucates (plough teams). In a
document of 1254 the manor contained a capital messuage, dovecote, brewhouse
and a water mill.
The rectangular buildings are visible as three discrete groups of earthworks
interpreted as the foundations of medieval long houses, associated yards and
enclosures. The first and most northerly group of rectangular earthworks lie
immediately north of the churchyard and face onto the north eastern corner of
the green; they are visible as the remains of at least seven rectangular
platforms measuring on average 14m by 7m and standing to a maximum height of
0.5m. Several of the long houses are divided into two compartments. The second
group of rectangular earthworks lie 130m south of the first group, immediately
south of the churchyard where they face onto the eastern side of the village
green; they are visible as the remains of at least two rectangular platforms,
divided into more than one compartment and of similar size and proportions to
the first group. The third group of rectangular earthworks lie 130m west of
the churchyard and include the remains of at least two further rectangular
platforms facing onto the western side of the green; a linear bank of stone
and earth which bounds the buildings at their rear is interpreted as a later
feature.
A further two rectangular buildings are situated on the village green in a
central position at Ordnance Survey grid reference NZ 1258 1237 facing onto
the south side of a hollow way. The hollow way enters the green at the south
west corner where it continues the line of the modern main road from Lane
Head; it extends to the south west corner of the churchyard as a prominent
earthwork, at which point it has become infilled by the construction of the
graveyard. Beyond the churchyard to the east of the medieval settlement the
line of the hollow way continues as a lane which remains in use today.
The south eastern part of the village green is overlain by a series of earthen
banks measuring a maximum of 0.6m wide and standing up to 0.5m high; the banks
divide this area into a series of narrow linear fields interpreted as
post-medieval in date.
All fences and gate posts, the electricity posts and the wooden fences
enclosing trees are excluded from the scheduling; however, the ground beneath
these features is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32761
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals 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
