Monument record MLI50522 - Archaeological Remains of the Medieval Village of West Rasen

Summary

Settlement remains of the Shrunken Medieval Village (SMV) of West Rasen, including earthworks, cropmarks, and excavated features.

Type and Period (6)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

Settlement remains including cropmarks and extant earthworks which survived demolition through the 1960s and 1970s, associated with the medieval shrunken village of West Rasen have been recorded in aerial photographs {1}{2}{3}, the National Mapping Programme {4}, and are visible in LIDAR {5}. The remains are broadly located within areas denoted as old enclosure (i.e. pre-1802) {6} and are surrounded by, and in places overlapping with, extensive ridge and furrow. {7} The areas appears contiguous but may be broadly divided along east-west lines where Gainsborough Road meets the River Rase, with the areas possibly denoting two medieval nuclei. The extent of the medieval village shows rectangular enclosures, with occasional building platforms. {7} The eastern portion includes an area of earthworks formerly thought to be a manorial site, now considered to be fishponds north of All Saints Church and south of the River Rase. These earthworks were bulldozed in February 1965 with pottery remains identified during the process reportedly including Soapy Shelly Ware, Late Shelly Wares, three glazed sherds, a decorated sherd, a handle, and a base made from a smooth hard red ware. {7} The western area of settlement comprised a series of broadly rectangular ditches enclosures at right angles to the River Rase, with several large hollow ways also apparent. {7} Excavations in April 2024 north of Toft Lane and southwest of Forge Lane recorded a trackway, extensive ditches, and post holes representing a possible fence or timber structure. The excavators noted that the archaeology in the trenches correlated well to records of former earthworks and features identified in aerial photography suggesting that the ditches on site relate to former land boundaries. A total of 63 sherds of medieval pottery were identified during the excavation including transitional wares (9th to 12th century). The fabric types were largely local, although small quantities of Humberware and Beverley Orange ware Fabric 2 were also recorded. The largest group comprised 25 sherds of Lincolnshire Early Medieval Shelly Ware (1130-1230), with many of the sherds being leached, sooted, and abraded suggesting domestic activity or cooking, although it was noted that no floor surfaces or hearths were identified during excavation. {8}{9} The separate elements of the village were linked by and focussed on a small triangular green north-west of the Bishop's Bridge which then extends west as an elongated strip or broad street, along the north side of the river, now represented by Smithy Lane. This open space may have also originally extended east of the river. It is possible that this triangular green is the result of the provision of a market area, created from the granting of a weekly market and annual fair to Hugh Paynel in 1218-19. Both were confirmed in the early 15th century. {7} While the original notes have been lost, medieval finds seem to have been recovered from the area of the medieval settlement during the Kingerby metal detecting rally. {10}{11}

Sources/Archives (11)

  •  Aerial Photograph: 1945-84. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COLLECTION. UA 37-8, 41-2, 45-6,1957, .
  •  Aerial Photograph: Paul Everson. 1975-90. RCHM. 2942/17,1980, .
  •  Aerial Photograph: InnerVisions Aerial Photography. 1993->. InnerVisions Aerial Photographs. Ref: 258/1198/25 (29/11/98).
  •  Map: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1992-1996. Lincolnshire National Mapping Programme. TF0689:LI.513.4.1-18,1994, .
  •  Digital Archive: Environment Agency. 2006->. LiDAR Scan Data. -.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: RUSSELL, R.C. AND RUSSELL, E.. 1983. MAKING NEW LANDSCAPES IN LINCOLNSHIRE. PP 108-110.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn. 1991. Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire. page 213-15.
  •  Report: Witham Archaeology. 2024. New Access Road, Holme Farm, Forge Lane, West Rasen, Lincolnshire, Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation. WA Site Code WRHF24.
  •  Archive: Witham Archaeology. 2024. New Access Road, Holme Farm, Forge Lane, West Rasen, Lincolnshire, Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation. LCNCC 2024.38.
  •  Unpublished Document: Dave Hopkins. 1999. Kingerby Metal Detecting Rally Notes. Kingerby 304, 103, 104, 114, 140-41, 147.
  •  Photograph: Dave Hopkins. 1999. Kingerby Metal Detecting Rally Photographs. Photo 99, 48, 52, 56.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 0626 8927 (1419m by 851m)
Civil Parish WEST RASEN, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (3)

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Record last edited

Apr 9 2025 3:38PM

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