Monument record MLI53508 - Settlement of South Kelsey Including Field System

Summary

Settlememt of South Kelsey. The settlement was a large, rural settlement throughout the medieval period, with some elements of the associated earthworks apparent in archaeological works and cropmarks.

Type and Period (10)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

PRN 53508 South Kelsey was a very large, rural settlement throughout the medieval and later period that sustained no substantial depopulation. Kelsey was separated into two; originally tenurially and later as separate parishes. Blocks of settlement can be seen, although, later, the units seem to have connected by the north-south street, especially since enclosure. Enclosure was between 1794-1797. {1}{2} The medieval field system extends into North Kelsey parish. {3} A desktop assessment and geophysical survey carried out on this site identified cropmarks and anomalies. Following on from this work, trial trenching was carried out. Several features were recorded, including pits, gullies and two series of intercutting ditches. Map evidence indicates that the western half of the site is located in a narrow strip of land, abutting the precursor of Thornton Road, which was seemingly enclosed in the later medieval period and divided into small irregular enclosures. Two series of intercutting east to west aligned ditches were recorded in Trenches 3 and 4, suggesting that this scheme of partition lasted for a reasonable length of time. The ditches and later recuts are sited along the upper edge of the slope, dividing the flat plateau at the centre of the field from the lower ground to the north and west, suggesting their use as a boundary, which was later reaffirmed by recutting on seven or eight separate occasions.{5}{6}{7} Pottery recovered from the site dates broadly to between the 10th and 15th centuries. Although the pottery assemblage is small, nevertheless there seems to be a greater quantity of 10th and 12th century pottery towards the western half of the site. This may indicate a late Anglo-Saxon or Saxo-Norman precursor to Thornton Road acting as a development focus, later settlement then radiating outwards from this core. A slight discontinuity in the pottery sequence between the 12th to 13th and the 13th to 15th centuries may indicate two phases of occupation, but equally may be due to limited knowledge of medieval pottery production and consumption in this area. Imported pottery may indicate the presence of a relatively high status centre in the vicinity, for example, the medieval manor site on which South Kelsey Hall is thought to be located (see PRN 53508).{5}{6}{7} Finds of grass-tempered fired clay (possibly a hearth lining), along with charred cereal grains, beans and charcoal, comprising the fill of a pit feature have led to suggestions that the pit may be a corn drier. Environmental evidence is suggestive of a variety of uses, as well as the presence of bulk storage facilities.{5}{6}{7} Truncated remains of ridge and furrow of medieval or post medieval date was seen during archaeological monitoring at Church Farm (TF 041 982). {8}{9} An archaeological scheme of works was undertaken by Archaeological Project Services during development of land at Thornton Road and Caistor Road in December 2007 to April 2008. In Area 1 [53508a], two pits which contained mid to late Anglo-Saxon pottery, a pit and feature containing medieval pottery, a feature containing post medieval roof tile, handmade brick and animal bone, four undated post holes and an undated pit were revealed. {10}{11}

Sources/Archives (11)

  •  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: RUSSELL, R.C. AND RUSSELL, E.. 1987. PARLIAMENTARY ENCLOSURE AND NEW LINCOLNSHIRE LANDSCAPES. PP 178-182.
  •  Map: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1992-1996. Lincolnshire National Mapping Programme. TF0498:LI.507.3.1-3,1994, .
  •  Aerial Photograph: InnerVisions Aerial Photography. 1993->. InnerVisions Aerial Photographs. 164/0397/3,1997, .
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology/Geophysics. April 2000. Evaluation on land off Caistor Road, South Kelsey.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. Sept 2000. Trial trenching on land off Caistor Road, South Kelsey.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. Sept 2000. Trial trenching on land off Caistor Road, South Kelsey. LCNCC 2000.189.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2009. An Archaeological Scheme of Monitoring Works: Church Farm, Waddingham Road, South Kelsey. CFSK08.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2009. An Archaeological Scheme of Monitoring Works: Church Farm, Waddingham Road, South Kelsey. LCNCC 2008.136.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2009. Archaeological Scheme of Works on land off Thornton Road and Caistor Road, South Kelsey. CTSK07.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2009. Archaeological Scheme of Works on land off Thornton Road and Caistor Road, South Kelsey. LCNCC 2007.240.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 0425 9839 (1129m by 2408m)
Civil Parish NORTH KELSEY, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE
Civil Parish SOUTH KELSEY, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (4)

Related Events/Activities (6)

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Record last edited

Sep 25 2024 1:07PM

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