Monument record MLI34973 - Settlement of Foston

Summary

The settlement of Foston has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon period, and survives to the present.

Type and Period (5)

  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Modern - 950 AD to 2050 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 950 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

(The record for the post-medieval settlement of Foston (PRN 34974) has now been amalgamated with this one.) The settlement of Foston is first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. There was a large berewic of a manor at Long Bennington at Foston, and a much smaller manor, both belonging to Count Alan. The minimum population at that time was about 49. The name of Foston is a hybrid Anglo-Saxon name which suggests that this was an earlier Anglo-Saxon settlement taken over and partially renamed by the Danes. This theory is supported by the finding of four sherds of early Saxon Charnwood ware dating from the fifth to the early eighth century (see 34972). {1}{2} During a watching brief on Long Street, late Saxon remains were revealed. A pit was recorded which contained finds dating from the late ninth century to the early eleventh century in local fabric pottery and the first reported occurrence of Lincoln kiln type pottery in the area. Two pits were exposed, one of which contained two sherds of Saxo-Norman pottery dating between the early/mid 12th and early 13th centuries. One sherd was of Lincoln fine shelled fabric, whilst the other was a fragment from a glazed Stamford ware jug or pitcher. In a further pit part of a Nottingham green glazed jug was recovered dating to the early 13th - early 14th centuries. Slightly to the west of this was a rubble spread, which was dated by the presence of part of another Nottingham green glaze jug. Late medieval/Tudor activity on the site is represented by an east-west aligned ditch, containing a quantity of animal bone, including an articulated pig skeleton. 15th-16th century Nottingham and Lincoln wares were also recovered. It was possibly part of the church and cemetery boundary. The topsoil over the entire development area contained an abundance of pottery dating from the seventeenth century onwards. {3}{4} Earthwork ridge and furrow has been noted on aerial photographs. {5} A small sherd of medieval green glazed pottery with finger decoration was recovered from a garden at Nocton Cottages in 1976 (SK 8605 4308). {6} 42 households were recorded in Foston chapel in 1563. {7} By the early nineteenth century there were 243 people living in Foston, which rose by the mid nineteenth century to 519, and fell again to 297 at the beginning of the twentieth century. {8}{9} During a watching brief at SK 8593 4288 a series of pits were recorded. There are at least nine pits and possibly more, as it has been difficult to ascertain if some of them were extended or if there are actually two separate pits. Pottery dating from the 5th to the 15th century was recovered and it is thought that the pits date from the 15th century. Although there are many potential uses for these pits, such as disposal of organic waste or small scale quarrying of clay for 'mud and stud' buildings no function has been attributed to them. {10}{11} Unstratified artefacts including medieval pottery and worked bone were recovered during a watching brief on land adjacent to Back Lane, Foston (PRN 34973a - SK 85998 42984). No archaeological features were recorded but the artefacts indicate that medieval deposits may have been present at this site prior to recent development. {12}{13}

Sources/Archives (13)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: Kenneth Cameron. 1998. A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names. page 46.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: C.W. Foster and T. Longley. 1924. Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey. 12/50-51.
  •  Report: PRE-CONSTRUCT ARCHAEOLOGY. 1996. LONG STREET, FOSTON. LSF95.
  •  Archive: PRE-CONSTRUCT ARCHAEOLOGY. LONG STREET, FOSTON. LCNCC 110.95.
  •  Map: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1992-1996. National Mapping Programme. LI.739.27.
  •  Index: South Kesteven records. Foston. SK.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Gerald A.J. Hodgett. 1975. Tudor Lincolnshire. page 190.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: William White. 1856. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Second Edition. page 384.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: William Page (ed). 1906. The Victoria County History: Lincolnshire - Volume 2. page 363.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2002. Chaple Lane, Foston. FCLB01.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 2002. Chaple Road, Foston. LCNCC:2001.236.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2006. Land Adjacent to Back Lane, Foston. APS site code: FBL05.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2006. Land Adjacent to Back Lane, Foston. LCNCC 2005.137.

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 8602 4301 (1178m by 1313m)
Civil Parish FOSTON, SOUTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Please contact the HER for details.

External Links (0)

Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

Feedback?

Your feedback is welcome. If you can provide any new information about this record, please contact us.