Monument record MLI52752 - Late Medieval and Post-Medieval Settlement of Market Rasen

Summary

The settlement of Market Rasen has its origins in the 12th century and continues to the present day.

Type and Period (3)

  • (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

This is the record for the later medieval and post-medieval settlement of Market Rasen. For further information on the medieval core of Market Rasen, please see PRN 52750. The settlement record is split into four quarters; the railway line and Queen Street define these areas. Records for each quarter have information relevant to their specific area. The presence of a thriving pottery industry in the vicinity of Market Rasen in the 3rd or 4th century suggests that there would have been a Roman settlement in the area, although as yet it remains unlocated. Market Rasen is first documented in the Domesday Survey where land belonging to Roger of Poitou and Alfred of Lincoln is recorded. A mill is also documented and the presence of the Market Place adjacent to the church may be of significance. This may indicate that there was probably late Anglo-Saxon, or even earlier settlement in Market Rasen, although there is very little evidence to support this. {1}{2} The place name of Market Rasen has comes from the Old English, originating in the 14th century. Rasen means 'a plank', perhaps with reference to a bridge or plank laid across marshy ground. Market is self-explanatory. {3} 120 families are recorded in Market Rasen in the late 17th century to the early 18th century. {4} The enclosure award for the town dates to 1780 and shows housing along Queen Street and King Street with a few down what is now called Dear Street. To the east are houses in Union Street and Waterloo Street south of the river. There is little indication of development on the north side of the river crossing except for almshouses, which were built in 1612. A survey of 1676 records that the population over sixteen numbered 220. It is not clear whether the medieval settlement was more extensive. It has been suggested that the river may have been prone to flooding, which would explain the lack of development here. The enclosure map shows that buildings now on the east side of the Market Place were not present and must have been built later. {5} The settlement of Little, East or Market Rasen appears to be documented although not specifically distinguished in 1086. The town boomed in the first half of the 19th century and the population trebled. New streets and houses were built in the second half of the 19th century and these were consolidated with services. {6} In 1801 the population is recorded as 774 by 1831 the population stood at 1428 and by 1851 there are 2110 people recorded. Gas works were erected in 1837. There are many markets recorded as having taken place here, Tuesday being the regular market day. More extensive markets were also held; every other Tuesday after Palm Sunday there was a cattle market, and the New Spring Cattle Fair was held on the fourth Tuesday in lent it was established in 1854, and was said to be very popular. {7} The construction of a canal through Market Rasen was proposed many times between 1801 and 1980, although the idea never got past the planning phase and a canal was never constructed. Church Mill, constructed in c.1830, was built to take advantage of the anticipated canal; as the canal was never constructed, the mill was never a success. The tiny dam could only supply enough power to turn two tiny stones at a time and then the water would only provide enough power for approximately an hour and a half. {8} In March 1845 it was announced that the Great Grimsby and Sheffield junction railway was to be extended to Market Rasen, but before construction started, the decision was made to continue the line to Lincoln. This meant that a more westerly route through the town was needed to begin the curve towards Lincoln, necessitating the construction of a bridge over Queen Street. {9} A sherd of 13 to 15th century pottery was recovered during trial trenching on land at Fairfield, Linwood Road (PRN 52752a - TF 1086 8856). {10}{11} The remains of several post-medieval structures were revealed in September 2014, during the archaeological monitoring of the construction of new flats at No. 20A, Union Street, Market Rasen (PRN 52752b - TF 1072 8904). The structures likely all date to the 19th century and include the remains of a probable brick-built circular well, a probable brick-built circular malting oven with vaulted ceiling, and several brick-built walls and foundations of buildings that formed part of a former plastic factory on the site. Associated finds of late 19th and 20th century pottery and glass were identified but not retained. {12}{13}

Sources/Archives (13)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: C.W. Foster and T. Longley. 1924. Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey. 16/11 and 27/9: Lindsey Survey 7/18/,16.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram. 1989. Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition). pp.555-6.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Kenneth Cameron. 1998. A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names. p.100.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: R.E.G. Cole. 1913. Speculum Dioeceseos Lincolniensis sub Episcopis Gul: Wake et Edm: Gibson A.D.1705-1723. Part 1: Archdeaconries of Lincoln and Stow. p.97.
  •  Unpublished Document: North Lincolnshire Archaeological Unit. 1989. Market Rasen Archaeological Resource Map. -.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn. 1991. Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire. Archive notes.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: William White. 1856. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Second Edition. pp.480-5.
  •  Article in Serial: Sass, Jon A.. 1986. LINCOLNSHIRE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY. pp.26-7.
  •  Article in Serial: Boyce, Douglas. 1998. Lincolnshire Past and Present. pp.19, 21.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2008. Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Fairfield, Linwood Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. FMR 08.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2008. Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Fairfield, Linwood Road, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. LCNCC 2008.138.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2014. No. 20A, Union Street, Market Rasen. PCAS site code: USTM 14.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2014. No. 20A, Union Street, Market Rasen. LCNCC 2014.104.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 1086 8922 (2619m by 1843m)
Civil Parish MARKET RASEN, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE
Civil Parish MIDDLE RASEN, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (10)

Related Events/Activities (2)

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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