Medieval settlement remains immediately south east of Hutton Hall

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.

Medieval villages were organised agricultural communities, sited at the centre of a parish or township, that shared resources such as arable land, meadow and woodland. Village plans varied enormously, but when they survive as earthworks their most distinguishing features include roads and minor tracks, platforms on which stood houses and other buildings such as barns, enclosed crofts and small enclosed paddocks. They frequently included the parish church within their boundaries, and as part of the manorial system most villages included one or more manorial centres which may also survive as visible remains as well as below ground deposits. In the Central Province of England, villages were the most distinctive aspect of medieval life, and 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 settlement of Hutton Magna is well preserved and retains significant archaeological deposits. The settlement is a good example of its type and will contribute to our knowledge and understanding of medieval settlement in the region.

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.

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:

32761

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Yorkshire: North Riding: Volume I, (1914), 84-5

Other
NZ11SW 8,
1212/01-2, Tees Archaeology, Hutton Magna,

End of official list entry

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