Monument record MLI81362 - Settlement of Swineshead

Summary

The early medieval/medieval settlement of Swineshead survives to the present.

Type and Period (20)

  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Modern - 700 AD to 2050 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 700 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 700 AD to 1899 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1200 AD to 1750 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1750 AD to 1899 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 700 AD to 1899 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1499 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 700 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 700 AD to 1900 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 700 AD to 1899 AD)
  • (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1501 AD to 1699 AD)
  • (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1501 AD to 1699 AD)
  • (Early Medieval/Dark Age - 700 AD to 999 AD)
  • (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)
  • (Dried-up watercourse, Medieval - 1100 AD? to 1299 AD?)
  • (Post Medieval - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
  • (Post Medieval - 1650 AD to 1750 AD)
  • (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

PRN 13579 The earliest record of Swineshead is in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle where it is mentioned in a spurious charter under the year 675 AD. Peterborough Abbey certainly held land here and this spurious charter would appear to be a later attempt to justify their claims on land at Swineshead. In about 777 AD, the abbey is recorded as leasing ten hides at Swineshead to ealdorman Cuthbert, a Mercian noble.{7} The name probably means 'the source of the creek' in Old English. {1}. Although Swineshead itself is not mentioned in Domesday Book, both Stenning and Drayton (settlements within the parish) have entries there. {2}. From the early twelfth century, the largest fee in Swineshead belonged to the Duchy of Lancaster. {3}. There was a market in Swineshead by the end of the thirteenth century, and two annual fairs in May and September by the same date. {4}. A watching brief off Monk's Road at TF2385 4030 found medieval boundary ditches and refuse pits. Some of the ditches were backfilled in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. There was no evidence of structural features; pottery from the eleventh to the nineteenth century was found. {5}{6}. During a watching brief at TF2391 4001 a medieval possible pit, an early post-medieval ditch and a probably 19th century brick-lined well were exposed. The ditch may have been both a drainage channel and former property boundary. A small quantity of iron slag may indicate smithing in the vicinity. {8}{9} During a watching brief, many features were recorded. A pit containing domestic waste contained a sherd of Charnwood early Saxon ware dating to the 5th to 7th centuries, evidence for early Saxon settlement in the vicinity. Ditches, a pit and a posthole dating to the medieval period were recorded. One large recut north/south ditch contained a dog burial and represented a substantial maintained boundary, with an east/west ditch possibly representing a further subdivision of the land. The early post-medieval period (16th to pre-to-late 18th century) is represented by a pit, ditch, gully and posthole, with finds of daub possibly indicating the presence of a structure. The later post-medieval period is represented by a pit containing domestic waste, and a large dyke. Undated features thought to date to the medieval or early post-medieval period were also recorded (see PRN 13585).{10}{11} During a watching brief at TF2380 4040, drainage, field and property boundary ditches dating from circa the 8th to the 19th century were recorded. Most of the ditches were aligned east/west, with two being aligned north-west/south-east. Two linear cuts may represent plough furrows. Several pits served as domestic and industrial rubbish pits, with slag finds suggesting metalworking in the vicinity, and burnt silt possibly hinting at saltmaking in the middle Saxon period. The quantity of mussel shells recovered indicates commercial rather than domestic collection. A large feature may be a pond. Although domestic refuse was found, no structural features were recorded.{12}{13} During a watching brief at TF2370 4020 a pond was identified.{14}{15} During a watching brief seven unstratified post medieval potsherds and an 18th century clay pipe stem were recovered.{16}{17} During trial trenching at TF2381 4016 the remains of a 17th century building and possible associated yard surface were identified. These comprised of a building fronting onto South Street with a doorway or possible hearth area identified at the rear. The building had possibly been timber-framed on brick and stone foundations with an earth floor. However, a stone window mullion fragment suggests a more substantial brick or stone structure also existed. Contemporary with this building was a cobbled yard surface; this was initially thought to be associated with the building but artefactual evidence suggests that these were two separate properties{18}{19} A watching brief at TF2383 4050 revealed a series of pits and ditches. Although undated, their similarity and proximity suggest a medieval date. At least four of the pits were used as middens and contained similar fills consisting of 12-14th century potsherds, animal bones, smithing slag, and hearth linings. The amount of industrial waste recorded is quite small and is likely to have been dumped here with the actual smithing taking place elsewhere. A large amount of mussel shell was collected from other pits on the site, indicating that local marine sources were being exploited during the 12th to 14th centuries. Two quite large ditches were probably boundaries. The lack of evidence for structural remains suggests this site lies on the periphery of the main medieval settlement area. Three post medieval pits containing domestic refuse were also recorded here. {20}{21} During trial trenching centred on TF2352 4059 and a watching brief centred on TF2358 4062, features from the middle Saxon period to the post medieval period were recorded, along with some undated features. Several east/west aligned ditches contained mid-8th to mid-9th and late 9th to late 10th century pottery. The mid-8th to mid-9th century assemblage contained three Ipswich-type vessels, unusual in this area. The ditches are thought to represent agricultural enclosures. A large rectangular enclosure and an L-shaped enclosure were dated to the 13th century, contemporary with a dried-up watercourse running through the site, and the L-shaped ditch may have formed part of a land- or water-management system. Other medieval ditches may have belonged to an earlier such system. Environmental sampling suggests a damp grassland landscape at this time. Fourteen sherds of a medieval globular jar were thought to be unrelated to manuring. Post medieval ditches were thought to be for land division and drainage. A 17th century tig base was found in a subsoil. A number of undated ditches, pits and postholes were also recorded.{22}{23} A watching brief centred on TF 2381 4016 identified four layers of demolition and rubble deposits, some of which contained pottery and brick dating to the 18th century. No structural deposits were noted.{24}{25} A watching brief at land adjacent to Boston Road (TF 23145 41411) revealed a sequence of undated deposits including pits of possible industrial origin. Two sherds of 16th to 17th century pottery were recovered and a partial dog burial was also encountered. {26}{27} A watching brief on land at Church Lane, Swineshead in December 2005, at PRN 13579a, revealed an east to west aligned drainage ditch which contained two fragments of mid to late 17th to early 18th century clay pipe. {28}{29} Two medieval linear features and 15th to 16th century pottery, a pit containing 18th century clay pipe, a post medieval linear feature and two undated linear features were revealed during a watching brief on land adjacent to Firtree Cottage, Swineshead [PRN13579b]. The work was undertaken by Archaeological Project Services in June 2011. {30}{31}

Sources/Archives (29)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: Kenneth Cameron. 1998. A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names. page 122.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: C.W. Foster and T. Longley. 1924. Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey. pp.liv, lxvii.
  •  Unpublished Document: R.H. Healey and D.R. Roffe. Some Medieval and Later Earthworks in South Lincolnshire. C6.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Graham Platts. 1985. Land and People in Medieval Lincolnshire. Appendix 1.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. Feb 2001. Land off Monk's Road, Swineshead. SWNE06.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Feb 2001. Land off Monk's Road, Swineshead. LCNCC 171.98.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Garmonsway, G. N. (translator). 1953. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 675AD; 777AD.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. August 2000. Report on a watching brief at The Causeway, Swineshead. SWC99.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. August 2000. Archive of a watching brief at The Causeway, Swineshead. LCNCC 266.99.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. April 2001. Plot 3, The Causeway, Swineshead. SWCW01.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. April 2001. Plot 3, The Causeway, Swineshead. LCNCC 2001.28.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. July 2000. Land off King John's Road, Swineshead. SKJ97.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. July 2000. Land off King John's Road, Swineshead. LCNCC 39.97.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2001. Land at Church Lane, Swineshead. SCLB 01.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2001. Land at Church Lane, Swineshead. LCNCC:2001.24.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Station Road, Swineshead.. SSRA00.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Station Road, Swineshead.. LCNCC:2000.205.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land off Hall Drive plots 145-156, Swineshead. SWHD00.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land off Hall Drive plots 145-156, Swineshead. LCNCC:2000.327.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. May 1999. Land west of High Street, Swineshead. SWH99.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. May 1999. Land west of High Street, Swineshead. LCNCC 29.99.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. Jun 2005. Archaeological Watching Brief on land at Abbey Road and South Street, Swineshead. SAR05.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Jun 2005. Archaeological Watching Brief on land at Abbey Road and South Street, Swineshead. LCNCC 2005.54.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2006. Archaeological Watching Brief on Land at Northfields, Swineshead. SWNE 06.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2006. Archaeological Watching Brief on Land at Northfields, Swineshead. LCNCC 2006.80.
  •  Report: Lincs Archaeo-tech. 2006. Watching Brief on the Residential Development at Church Lane, Swineshead. CLSW05.
  •  Archive: Lincs Archaeo-tech. 2006. Watching Brief on the Residential Development at Church Lane, Swineshead. LCNCC: 2005.252.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2011. Watching brief on groundworks on land adjacent to Firtree Cottage, North End, Swineshead. SWNE11.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2011. Watching brief on groundworks on land adjacent to Firtree Cottage, North End, Swineshead. LCNCC 2011.100.

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Grid reference Centred TF 2353 4066 (1032m by 2219m)
Civil Parish SWINESHEAD, BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Oct 22 2021 9:11AM

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