Monument record MLI52232 - Middle Carlton Deserted Medieval Village, North Carlton

Summary

The deserted medieval village of Middle Carlton, in North Carlton parish.

Type and Period (3)

  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 450 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 450 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 450 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

The site of the village of Middle Carlton lay 400m south-east of North Carlton, in a group of closes with the field name 'Barton'. The boundary of the rectory lands at Middle Carlton, shown on the tithe map, depicts the north and south edges of the settlement, and presumably preserves the demarcation between North and Middle Carlton. Ploughing has destroyed some of the earthworks. It is extremely difficult to give an account of the tenurial history. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5}{6}{7}{8} The site of the church is SK 9482 7729 (see PRN 52235). House foundations were seen during ploughing in 1953. In 1959 architectural fragments, a grave slab, (possibly from or associated with the church) 11th to 14th century pottery, a 15th century key and a spindle whorl were discovered. {9}{10}{11} Two hundred sherds of early Saxon pottery were found on the southern fringe of the later settlement during field walking. These sherds, together with some middle Saxon and Saxo-Norman wares, are suggestive of settlement rather than of a cemetery site. The pottery, continuing from the 5th century through to the Saxo-Norman period and onwards, suggests a site of continued occupation from the early Anglo-Saxon period through to the medieval period. It has been suggested that Middle Carlton was entirely deserted in the 14th century, possibly due to devastation by the Black Death. Indeed in 1337 Middle Carlton adults were numbered together with South Carlton for the poll tax. There is also a direct reference in 1398 and 1399 to the church of Middle Carlton having been destitute for 40 years, and these reports may well have been the source of this supposed desertion. It is most likely that Middle Carlton was very small, and in 1428 it was exempt from tax because it contained less that 10 households. However pottery dating all the way through from the 5th century to the 16th century suggests at least some continuing occupation until at least the end of the medieval period. {12}{13} Two areas of gridded surface collection were undertaken in the a field immediately west of Middle Street, North Carlton. The work was conducted in order to investigate the extent of a deserted medieval village at Middle Carlton. The surface collection produced pottery that reflected the land use of the area since the prehistoric period. Late Saxon and early medieval pottery related to the village of Middle Carlton predominated in the area between the two modern villages of North and South Carlton. {14}{15}

Sources/Archives (15)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: BERESFORD, M.W.. 1954. The Lost Villages of England. pp.308-9, 361.
  •  Article in Serial: THOMPSON, F.H.. 1954. Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaeological Society Reports and Papers. vol.5, p.82.
  •  Article in Serial: D.F. Petch. 1961. ‘Archaeological Notes for 1959 and 1960’ in Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaeological Society Reports and Papers. vol.9, part.1, pp.22-3.
  •  Aerial Photograph: 1945-84. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COLLECTION. LI18-20, 1953.
  •  Aerial Photograph: 1945-84. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COLLECTION. UB52.
  •  Aerial Photograph: Paul Everson. 1975-90. RCHM. 2954/27-8, 33-4, 1978.
  •  Graphic Material: 1977. PARISH FILE. NORTH CARLTON. ALSO CORRES.
  •  Map: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1992-1996. National Mapping Programme. SK9477: LI.643.4.1-13.
  •  Index: Lincolnshire County Council. Sites and Monuments Record Card Index. SK 97 NW: B, C.
  •  Index: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Card Index. SK 97 NW: 6.
  •  Index: University of Nottingham. 1960. East Midland Archaeological Bulletin. vol.3, p.8.
  •  Article in Serial: A.J. White (ed.). 1979. 'Archaeology in Lincolnshire and South Humberside, 1978' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. vol.14, pp.79-80.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn. 1991. Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire. p.137.
  •  Report: Wessex Archaeology. May 2004. South Cliff Farm, South Carlton: An Archaeological Evaluation and an Assessment of the Results. SCSC03.
  •  Archive: Wessex Archaeology. May 2004. South Cliff Farm, South Carlton: An Archaeological Evaluation and an Assessment of the Results. LCNCC 2003.304.

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 9475 7714 (887m by 664m) Estimated from sources
Civil Parish NORTH CARLTON, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (2)

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.