Monument record MLI60611 - Settlement of Bassingham

Summary

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

Type and Period (10)

  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Modern - 1000 AD? to 2050 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 850 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 850 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 850 AD to 1300 AD)
  • (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1500 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

The settlement of Bassingham is first documented in the Domesday Book, where a manor belonging to the King is recorded. There was a minimum population at that time of approximately 44 families (comprising 35 villeins, 8 bordars and one sokeman). Sokeland belonging to this manor is recorded in Thorpe on the Hill. {1} The landholding was known as ‘Basingeham’ in 1086, and derives from the Old English, meaning ‘the homestead, the estate of the Basingas’. {2} There have been numerous finds in and around the present village dating from the late Anglo-Saxon period. Early medieval to post-medieval pottery has been recovered from a garden on Newark Road (SK 9077 5964). Sixteen sherds of late Saxon pottery were recovered from a garden in Newark Road, including a tenth century jar base and one sherd of late ninth-early eleventh pot, and a sherd of Lincoln kiln type. The rest of the sherds are undated, but appear to be of similar material (former PRN 60699). Forty-three sherds of medieval pottery were found, including 1 sherd of high medieval pottery (glazed Lincoln ware), 1 sherd of post-medieval pottery (Toynton or Bolingbroke type), 1 sherd of post-medieval pottery (Nottingham splashed glaze ware), 2 sherds of high medieval pottery (Nottingham green-glazed ware). Post-medieval finds from the garden in Newark Road include 108 sherds of mostly Midland purple ware pottery, and clay pipe, including three bowls. A musket ball was also recovered (former PRN 60700). Further finds have been recovered from other gardens on Newark Road, including another sherd of green-glazed pottery (former PRN 60703), and a medieval lead bale seal in the shape of a rabbit or hare (former PRN 60704) (located at SK 9083 5967 and SK 9077 5967). A sherd of medieval green-glazed pottery was recovered from St Michael’s church (former PRN 60702). {3}{4}{5} Evidence for early medieval to post-medieval activity has also come to light through developer-funded fieldwork in the village. A single decorated sherd of Anglo-Saxon pottery was recovered during an evaluation at 33 Water Lane (SK 9104 6010). It seems to have been redeposited during backfilling of post-medieval quarries which were identified on the site, or during the later landscaping of the site (former PRN 60788). {6}{7} During works along Water Lane, further evidence of post-medieval activity was recorded. At 9 Water Lane a ditch or pit was identified, and a similar one was reported slightly to the east which contained three sherds of seventeenth-eighteenth century pottery. It is possible that both these features are of similar date and may have been associated with the existing house. Immediately south of Briar Patch, opposite the eastern end of the lane, contractors reported a brick walled culvert with a stone covering, filled with dark soil. Immediately south of Hall Field a deposit interpreted as track metalling was recorded above a further deposit believed to be the fill of a post-medieval field/track boundary ditch. {8}{9} During a watching brief in 1998, centred on SK9094 6019, four sherds of seventeenth to eighteenth century pottery were recovered. {10}{11} During trial trenching at Manor Farm (SK 9085 5949) a shallow medieval ditch was recorded, and a small amount of artefactual evidence was recovered. This indicates that there was some medieval activity here. It may be that the pottery fragments are representative of manure scattering, and this offers the hypothesis that the land was used almost exclusively in agricultural. Foundations of undressed limestone were also recorded. These are thought to be from a cottage that is known to have stood on the site. Cartographic evidence indicates that the site was divided into tofts and crofts sometime after 1629. Several undated ditches and pits were also recorded across the site. It is possible that they represent features associated with the gardens of the cottages. Twenty-seven sherds of post-medieval pottery were recovered from the ditches and foundations. Other artefactual evidence includes roof tile, clay pipes, animal remains and a copper alloy buckle (former PRNs 62225 and 62226). {12}{13} 61 households were recorded in 1563, and this number had risen to around 70 by the late late seventeenth and early eighteenth century. {14}{15} The population in 1801 was 413, and by 1901 it was 614, peaking in 1861 at 928. {16} A fire in 1664, and flooding in 1912, have destroyed buildings in Bassingham. {17}{18} Trial trenching was undertaken at Bakers Lane, Bassingham (SK 9092 5961) prior to development. A ditch and a pit dating form the 12th to 15th century were uncovered. These were dated by the pottery that they contained. Further pits, ditches and linears dating to the 17th century onwards were also uncovered. {19}{20} Two sherds of medieval pottery were retrieved in 2006, during a watching brief at Riverside Cottages, Newark Road. A sherd of light bodied Nottingham Green Glazed ware, dated from the 13th century, and a very abraded sherd of South Lincolnshire Shell-tempered ware dated to the 12th to 14th century, were found in deposits found to cover the entire site. It is possible that these sherds have been deposited during levelling works or flooding episodes. {21}{22} A single ditch of late post-medieval date (late 18th-19th century) was uncovered during a watching brief at Water Lane (SK 9114 6015). This ditch may relate to another undated ditch found during the watching brief, suggesting that this feature may also be of post-medieval date. Another undated ditch and an undated pit were also found. A single sherd of residual 9th to 11th century pottery was found in the subsoil. {23}{24} A post hole and a pit, containing mid to late 10th to 13th century pottery, brick and animal bone, were found in 2005, during a watching brief, undertaken on land at Grange Farm, High Street, Bassingham (PRN 60611a). Fragments of mid 9th to 11th century and 10th to 14th century pottery, along with a fragment of 12th century bowl and late 14th century jug were also found in unstratified deposits. Post-medieval features include a gully in Trench 5 which contained animal bone, clay pipe, brick and pottery and two features from Trench 7 and 8 which contained 17th to 19th century pottery. Unstratified finds were 17th to 20th century pottery, tile and brick. {25}{26}

Sources/Archives (26)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: C.W. Foster and T. Longley. 1924. Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey. 1/26,27.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Kenneth Cameron. 1998. A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names. page 11.
  •  Unpublished Document: VICKERS M. 1997. PARISH FILE. BASSINGHAM. -.
  •  Unpublished Document: VICKERS M. 1995. PARISH FILE. BASSINGHAM. -.
  •  Index: NORTH KESTEVEN RECORDS. BASSINGHAM. NK 7.11.
  •  Report: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. 1997. Evaluation on land at 33 Water Lane, Bassingham. -.
  •  Archive: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. 1997. Land at 33 Water Lane, Bassingham. LCNCC 228.97.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1999. Bassingham Water Main Replacement, Water Lane. BAS99.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1999. Bassingham Water Main Replacement, Water Lane. LCNCC 199.99.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. Sept 1998. Bassingham, 38 Water Lane. BWL98.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. Sept 1998. Bassingham, 38 Water Lane. LCNCC 197.98.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Manor Farm, Bassingham.. BMF01.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Manor Farm, Bassingham. LCNCC 2002.70.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Gerald A.J. Hodgett. 1975. Tudor Lincolnshire. page 189.
  •  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. page 12.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: William Page (ed). 1906. The Victoria County History: Lincolnshire - Volume 2. page 362.
  •  Leaflet: North Kesteven District Council. pre 1995. Bassingham Village Walk. -.
  •  Article in Serial: Terence R. Leach. 1990. Lincolnshire Past and Present. pp.24-25.
  •  Report: Lincs Archaeo-tech. Mar 2005. Trial trenching at Bakers Lane, Bassingham. BLB04.
  •  Archive: Lincs Archaeo-tech. Mar 2005. Trial trenching at Bakers Lane, Bassingham. LCNCC 2004.259.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. Oct 2006. Riverside Cottage, 10 Newark Road, Bassingham. APS site code: BANR05.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Oct 2006. Riverside Cottage, 10 Newark Road, Bassingham. LCNCC 2005.169.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2007. Archaeological Watching Brief at 3 Water Lane, Bassingham. BSWL 07.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2007. Archaeological Watching Brief at 3 Water Lane, Bassingham. LCNCC 2007.117.
  •  Report: Lincs Archaeo-tech. 2006. Watching Brief on Land at Grange Farm, High Street, Bassingham. GFB05.
  •  Archive: Lincs Archaeo-tech. 2006. Watching Brief on Land at Grange Farm, High Street, Bassingham. LCNCC: 2005.206.

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Grid reference Centred SK 9102 5989 (846m by 1030m) Estimated from sources
Civil Parish BASSINGHAM, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (11)

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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