MLI81656 - The Settlement of Kirton - Lincolnshire Heritage Explorer

Monument record MLI81656 - The Settlement of Kirton

Summary

The settlement of Kirton has been in existence from approximately 850 AD or earlier to the present day. A late saxon site at Station Road has been given its own record (see PRN 13722).

Type and Period (16)

SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Modern - 850 AD to 2050 AD)
PIT (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 850 AD to 1899 AD)
GULLY (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 850 AD to 1199 AD)
IRON WORKING SITE (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1199 AD)
POST HOLE (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 870 AD to 1199 AD)
STRUCTURE (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Medieval - 900 AD to 1199 AD)
POND (Early Medieval/Dark Age to Post Medieval - 850 AD to 1900 AD)
POST HOLE (Post Medieval - 1701 AD to 1899 AD)
STRUCTURE (Post Medieval - 1701 AD to 1899 AD)
DRAIN (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1501 AD to 1699 AD)
DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
DRAINAGE DITCH (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)
BOUNDARY DITCH (Medieval - 1200 AD to 1499 AD)
BOUNDARY DITCH (Post Medieval - 1550 AD to 1900 AD)
WELL (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)
PIT (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1800 AD to 1925 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

Conservation Area: Kirton

Full Description

(This record incorporates the now deleted record PRNs 13502, 13357, 12552) The settlement of Kirton appears to have been in existence from about 850AD or earlier. The name Kirton derives from 'Chirchetune', meaning 'church village'. {1} The place-name evidence suggests that Kirton was the location of an early, probably high-status, church, in existence by the time of the Scandinavian conquest; Kirton also gave its name to the wapentake. {2}{3} The earliest record for Kirton appears in Domesday. There are three entries, for land owned by Count Alan, Edric and Alfric. The sokeland of Drayton is also mentioned, as is the existence of a church and two salt-pans. Population at the time of Domesday stood at a minimum of 52 people. Domesday records the existence of a church in Kirton in 1086 but the earliest fabric in the present church, the church of St Peter and St Paul (see PRN 12531), dates to the late Norman period (approximately 1170). As no evidence for another church has been found in Kirton parish, it is postulated that the present church was probably built on the site of the early church. {4}{5} In 1308, a charter was granted for the holding of a market on Mondays. {6} By 1563 the population stood at 228 households. {7} A shallow, flat-bottomed pit found during an evaluation at TF 3035 3845 contained large quantities of charred cereal grains, mostly wheat and barley with some oats. Charred weed seeds, small fish, frog and vole bones, fragments of mussel and egg shell were also present in very small quantities. This material probably derives from a partially cleaned crop, perhaps burnt accidentally during the parching of the crop before storage or milling. The time taken for the formation of a silty subsoil above this pit suggests that it dates not later than the mid medieval period and may be Saxon or even earlier. {8}{9} During an evaluation and subsequent watching brief on land off High Street TF 3054 3859, late Saxon activity was found. This included a large pit, with charred crop-processing residues and animal manure, and some post-holes, together with a pond. The environmental evidence suggests the presence of a farmyard close by. Evidence for activity in the earlier part of the medieval period was also found. These included pits and a hearth and one pit containing several horn cores, which may indicate horn-working. Silt deposits indicate that this area was subject to some flooding during the later medieval period which may have restricted the use of this area at that time. The archaeological works at High Street also provided evidence for intense nineteenth century activity. This occurred when houses were built fronting the High Street and in this area. A number of post holes were found relating to former fence lines and property boundaries. In addition garden walls, a brick cess pit, a number of refuse pits and a clay-lined storage pit, perhaps for cockles, were found. {10}{11}{12}{13} A French 15th century jetton and German 16th century jetton were found, in the centre of Kirton while digging a drain. {14} During trial trenching at TF 3065 3844, a series of undated ditches were recorded, some of which were thought to be field boundaries. The ditches, although undated, are thought to be late Saxon or earlier, based on 10th to 12th century pottery found in subsoil on site. Late Saxon features were also recorded, including a north to south aligned gully, ditches representing land division, a rubbish pit, and dump deposits suggesting domestic occupation. Finds include a fragment of a rotary quern stone and a quantity of hammerscale, which is suggestive of iron-working on site. A series of ditch cuts may represent a response to a need for increased drainage. {15}{16} Trial trenching at TF 3085 3834 recovered 12th to 14th and 18th to 19th century pottery. No features were found, but evidence suggested that the site had been agricultural from the 12th to the 14th centuries onwards. {17}{18} During trial trenching at TF 305 383 a pit or ditch terminus was recorded, this is thought to be the earliest feature on this site dated at early medieval or possibly earlier, together with two 10th to 12th century north-south aligned ditches. A quantity of 10th to 12th century pottery sherds were recovered together with environmental finds, animal bones with butchery marks and a fragment of a lava quern stone, these are suggestive that this area may have been used as part of a domestic settlement. Fragments of slag, including hearth bottoms, linings and possible fluxing materials indicate the presence of a smithy dating again to the 10th to 12th century. Evidence seems to suggest that the earlier medieval settlement appears to have been spread over a wider area than the later medieval village. {19}{20} During an evaluation at land on 16-18 Station road medieval drainage ditches, dating to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries were revealed and recorded. Following a phase of natural silting that interrupted use of the site, further trenches and pits were dug in the area. {21}{22} During a watching brief at TF 3035 3845 a single undated pit was recorded. {23}{24} During a watching brief at TF 3059 3883 a single 15th or 16th century pottery sherd was recovered. {25}{26} During a watching brief at TF 3057 3859 13th to 16th century pottery sherds were recovered from alluvium together with some articulated horse bone. A series of late medieval to post medieval pits were also recorded containing 17th to 19th century pottery and clay pipe bowls and stems. {27}{28} During trial trenching over the site of previous geophysical survey at TF 3042 3880 a number of early post medieval features were identified. Comprising of a pond, three pits and a brick drain, all dated approximately by pottery to the 16th to 17th centuries. A group of post holes were identified over the site of the brick drain, and it is possible that although the postholes date to the 18th to 19th centuries that they are related. The post holes are thought to form an, as yet, unidentified structure which may have been a shed or similar. An articulated dog, a pet burial, was recovered from one of the pits. Some medieval pottery was recovered from the site but this is thought to be residual in nature. {29}{30}{31} A geophysical survey and scheme of trial trenching recorded two lengths of ditch, aligned north-east to south-west, at about TF 3085 3851. Although one of these ditch sections was undated, its similarity in profile and alignment to the section dated to the 13th to 15th century makes it likely that these were two sections of the same ditch, possibly a drainage or boundary ditch. {32}{34}{34} An east-west ditch was found during an evaluation on land in Kirton TF 3035 3845. It probably marked a field or property boundary perhaps as a fence line and may have been in use as early as the sixteenth century. It was back-filled during the nineteenth century. The remains of a pond were also found, probably dug to water livestock, and was back-filled between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. {35}{36} During a watching brief at the New Vicarage no archaeological features were recorded although some eighteenth and nineteenth century pipe stem fragments and two sherds of twelfth to thirteenth century splashed ware were recovered. {37}{38} Additional reference. {39}{40} A watching brief was undertaken at TF 3068 3865 (PRN 13589a). It revealed post medieval ditches, drainage ditches, both containing 17th to 18th century pottery and a well. {41}{42} A probable ditch (PRN 13589b) containing pottery of late 11th to early/mid 13th century date was discovered in August 2006, during a watching brief on land adjacent to 27 Willington Road (TF 3041 3869). The ditch was recorded along with another feature which may be another ditch, although this remains undated. Two fragments of unstratified late medieval-post medieval pottery were also found, and a late post-medieval or modern well (PRN 13589c) was seen at the south-west corner of the site. {43}{44} Excavation and a watching brief were carried out on land off Willington Road (TF 3040 3894). This work revealed that the area was peripheral to a medieval settlement, which was probably situated across Willington Road in the field where earthworks have been observed. The features uncovered, mainly ditches, gullies and pits, suggest that the site was in use intermittently for non-domestic activities. These may have included market gardening and flax retting during the 11th to 13th centuries, although evidence for these activities is tenuous. Formal boundaries were created during the 13th to 15th centuries, and the site was used by a smith during this period. Hammerscale and fragments of hearth bottoms were recovered from several features of this date, although no evidence of associated structures was found. A general lack of domestic finds or structures was noted across the site and it appears unlikely that anyone actually lived there during the medieval period. {45}{46}{47} During a watching brief at the former Stag and Pheasant Inn (TF 3063 3864), medieval deposits (PRN 13589d) consisting of a ditch, a buried soil and layers of silt which are suggestive of flooding episodes. The ditch was probably a boundary ditch, and the lack of other medieval features suggests that this area lay outside the core of the medieval settlement and was probably used for agriculture. Post medieval deposits (PRN 13589e) were also encountered. These consisted of a single pit, the remnant of a wall, a well and three soakaways, all probably associated with the inn. {48}{49} A watching brief, undertaken at on land to the rear of 35 Willington Road revealed the footings of post medieval farm buildings along the frontage of Willington Road (PRN13589d). The buildings had been removed several years prior to the presently occurring residential development. An undated pit was also revealed, but backfilled due to unstable ground. {50}{51} A trial trench evaluation was carried out in May 2005 in the grounds of the former DEFRA offices (TF 30386 38555) situated at the junction between Church Lane and Willington Road. Trenches located in the southern part of the site revealed three ditches and a broad, shallow, linear feature interpreted as a hollow way - all containing late 9th to late 10th century pottery (PRN13589e). Animal bone associated with the features indicated a mixture of butchery and food waste, while bulk samples yielded evidence of food crops including wheat, rye and barley. A small spherical gaming piece was recovered from one of the samples. Another ditch found in the same area produced a single fragment of late 18th to 20th century pottery. A modern pit was encountered in the central part of the site, while trenches to the north indicated that a substantial degree of truncation had occurred - possibly through the creation of the car park in that area. {52}{53} During a watching brief at 10 Willington Road (PRN13589f), a sequence of medieval occupation deposits were identified. These were interspersed with flood layers. The medieval remains include pits, an oven and a large boundary ditch. Occupation continued into the post medieval period, which was represented by a pit and a beam slot which indicates the presence of a building. An assemblage of medieval and post medieval pottery was recovered, along with post medieval brick and clay pipe fragments. {54}{55} Archaeological monitoring on land at Willington Road/Church Lane was undertaken by Archaeological project Services in April 2010 [PRN 13589g]. Three pits were revealed. One contained early to mid 19th century pottery, ceramic building material and animal bone. One contained 19th to early 20th century pottery and glass and the other contained 19th to early 20th century pottery, ceramic building material, glass and roofing slate. A residual sherd of 11th to 12th century pottery and clay pipe was also found. {56}{57}

Sources/Archives (57)

<1> SLI1065 Bibliographic Reference: Ekwall, E.. 1960. Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names - Fourth Edition. p. 281.
<2> SLI6713 Bibliographic Reference: Sawyer, Peter. 1998. Anglo-Saxon Lincolnshire. p. 63.
<3> SLI5526 Bibliographic Reference: Paul Everson and David Stocker. 1999. Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture. Lincolnshire. pp. 72 & 74.
<4> SLI893 Bibliographic Reference: C.W. Foster and T. Longley. 1924. Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey. 12/71, 12/88, 57/29.
<5> SLI1062 Bibliographic Reference: Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram. 1989. Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition). p. 420.
<6> SLI1074 Bibliographic Reference: Graham Platts. 1985. Land and People in Medieval Lincolnshire. Appendix 1.
<7> SLI6089 Bibliographic Reference: Gerald A.J. Hodgett. 1975. Tudor Lincolnshire. Appendix 1.
<8> SLI5769 Report: Archaeological Project Services. Feb 2000. Land off Willington Road, Kirton, Lincolnshire. KWR00.
<9> SLI5770 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2000. Land off Willington Road, Kirton, Lincolnshire. LCNCC 2000.53.
<10> SLI1872 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 1996. LAND ADJACENT TO 17 HIGH STREET. KHS96.
<11> SLI1552 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 1996. LAND ADJACENT TO 17 HIGH STREET. LCNCC 123.96.
<12> SLI5172 Report: ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT SERVICES. 1997. LAND ADJACENT TO 17 HIGH STREET. KHS97.
<13> SLI9353 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 1997. Land adjacent to 17 High Street. LCNCC:123.96.
<14> SLI3116 Index: SMR FILE. KIRTON. TF33NW:K,1980, AMBROSE, T.M..
<15> SLI6710 Report: Archaeological Project Services. April 2001. The Old School site, King Street, Kirton. KKS01.
<16> SLI6711 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. April 2001. The Old School site, King Street, Kirton. LCNCC 2001.29.
<17> SLI7092 Report: Archaeological Project Services. Aug 2001. Land at The Depot, King Street, Kirton. KSK01.
<18> SLI7093 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Aug 2001. Land at The Depot, King Street, Kirton. LCNCC 2001.156.
<19> SLI7210 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2001. Land at London Road, Kirton. KLR 01.
<20> SLI7211 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2001. Land at London Road, Kirton. LCNCC:2001.266.
<21> SLI1978 Report: ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT SERVICES. 1994. THE DEPOT, 16-18 STATION ROAD. KRS 94.
<22> SLI1736 Archive: ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT SERVICES. 1994. THE DEPOT, 16-18 STATION ROAD. LCNCC:156.94.
<23> SLI7916 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Willington Road. KWRA00.
<24> SLI7917 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Willington Road. LCNCC:2000.53.
<25> SLI7982 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Boston Road, Kirton. KBR01.
<26> SLI7983 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Boston Road, Kirton. LCNCC:2001.405.
<27> SLI8096 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at the High Street, Kirton. KHJ02.
<28> SLI8097 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at the High Street, Kirton. LCNCC:2002.122.
<29> SLI8220 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Willington Road. KWR02.
<30> SLI8221 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2002. Land at Willington Road. LCNCC:2002.220.
<31> SLI8080 Report: Engineering Archaeological Services Ltd. 2002. Willington Road, Kirton.
<32> SLI6245 Report: Engineering Archaeological Services Ltd. Dec 2000. Geophysical survey of Kirton Richmond's Field.
<33> SLI6606 Report: Archaeological Project Services. March 2001. Land at Station Road, Kirton. KRS00.
<34> SLI6607 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. March 2001. Land at Station Road, Kirton. LCNCC: 2000.290.
<35> SLI5769 Report: Archaeological Project Services. Feb 2000. Land off Willington Road, Kirton, Lincolnshire. KWR 00.
<36> SLI5770 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2000. Land off Willington Road, Kirton, Lincolnshire. LCNCC:2000.53.
<37> SLI9364 Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1998. The New Vicarage, Church View. -.
<38> SLI9365 Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1998. The New Vicarage, Church View. LCNCC: 22.98.
<39> SLI5789 Report: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. Mar 2000. Land between Boston Road and Willington Road, Kirton.
<40> SLI5790 Archive: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. 2000. Land between Boston Road and Willington Road, Kirton. LCNCC 2000.29.
<41> SLI9770 Report: Archaeological Project Services. June 2004. Watching brief at land off Boston Road, Kirton. KBR03.
<42> SLI9771 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. June 2004. Watching brief at land off Boston Road, Kirton. LCNCC 2003.302.
<43> SLI11258 Report: Witham Archaeology. 2007. Land adjacent to 27 Willington Road, Kirton. WA site code: KIWR06.
<44> SLI11259 Archive: Witham Archaeology. 2007. Land adjacent to 27 Willington Road, Kirton. LCNCC 2006.196.
<45> SLI11712 Report: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. 2005. Report on an Archaeological Excavation and Watching Brief on land at Boston Road, Kirton. KWRC00.
<46> SLI11713 Archive: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. 2005. Report on an Archaeological Excavation and Watching Brief on land at Boston Road, Kirton. LCNCC 2000.195.
<47> SLI11714 Archive: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. 2005. Report on an Archaeological Excavation and Watching Brief on land at Boston Road, Kirton. LCNCC 2000.196.
<48> SLI12109 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2008. Archaeological Watching Brief at the former Stag and Pheasant Inn, High Street, Kirton. KIHS08.
<49> SLI12110 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2008. Archaeological Watching Brief at the former Stag and Pheasant Inn, High Street, Kirton. LCNCC 2008.69.
<50> SLI12403 Report: M & M Archaeological Services. 2008. Watching Brief on land to the rear of 35 Willington Road, Kirton, Boston. KWR04.
<51> SLI12404 Archive: M & M Archaeological Services. 2008. Watching Brief on land to the rear of 35 Willington Road, Kirton, Boston. LCNCC 2004.27.
<52> SLI12582 Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. Jun 2005. Archaeological Evaluation Report: Church Lane/Willington Road, Kirton, Boston. CLKB05.
<53> SLI12583 Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. Jun 2005. Archaeological Evaluation: Church Lane/Willington Road, Kirton, Boston. LCNCC 2005.97.
<54> SLI13105 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2010. Archaeological Watching Brief on land at 10 Willington Road, Kirton. WROK09.
<55> SLI13106 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2010. Archaeological Watching Brief on land at 10 Willington Road, Kirton. LCNCC 2009.94.
<56> SLI13484 Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2010. Archaeological monitoring on land at Willington Road/Church Lane, Kirton. KIRW09.
<57> SLI13485 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2010. Archaeological monitoring on land at Willington Road/Church Lane, Kirton. LCNCC 2009.168.

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Grid reference	Centred TF 3058 3846 (907m by 1161m)
Civil Parish	KIRTON, BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related to: Late Saxon features, Station Road, Kirton (Monument) (MLI86230)

Related Events/Activities (28)

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Record last edited

Sep 1 2021 11:13AM

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