Medieval farmstead 420m east of Buck Rush Farm

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 East Durham Plateau local region is a limestone upland partly covered by glacial clays. The upper part of the plateau was almost devoid of settlement until the creation of the late 19th century mining communities, but ancient villages occupy the varied soils of the western sub-Provincial boundary, and can be found along the north-south routes just inland from the coast. Towards the southern edge and the Tees Valley, there has been significant settlement depopulation.

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 principle) 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 roads and other minor tracks, platforms on which houses stood and 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 settlement frequently include features such as bakehouses, pinfolds and ponds. Areas of dispersed medieval settlement in both the South Eastern and Northern and Western Provinces 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 420m east of Buck Rush Farm is well-preserved and retains significant archaeological deposits. The farmstead is a good example of its type which will add greatly to our knowledge and understanding of medieval settlement in the region.

Details

The monument includes the site of a medieval farmstead 420m east of Buck Rush Farm. The site of the medieval farmstead is situated to the west of a steep-sided wooded valley. The parish of Skelton, of which the township of Kilton was part in the medieval period, lies on the north east fringe of the North York Moors and comprises a block of land running from the moorland edge in the south, across the fertile coastal plain to the coast in the north. The medieval farmstead survives as a series of earthworks located on a spur of land with ground sloping to the east, west and south. Located at the top of the spur is a square enclosure bounded by a low bank, approximately 0.3m high and 3.5m wide. This bank is most distinct on the north and east sides of the enclosure, whilst it tends to merge into the slope of the spur on the south and west sides. On the east side of the enclosure there is an indication of a slight internal ditch. A number of irregular earthworks within the enclosure are remnants of buildings associated with the enclosure. The north west of the enclosure has been destroyed by the later digging of a pond, destroying a stretch of bank and any related archaeology. Cut into the southern slope of the spur, directly below the medieval enclosure, are a series of terraces. These terraces are thought to have been building platforms associated with the medieval enclosure. In the post-medieval period the site was used as a hunting lodge. All fencing, is excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath it 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:

34580

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Daniels, R, Medieval Rural Settlement In North-East England in Kilton: A survey of a moorland fringe township, Vol. Res.Rep2, (1990), 33-57

End of official list entry

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