Monument record MLI85689 - Settlement of Welbourn

Summary

The settlement of Welbourn is first mentioned in Domesday and survives to the present day.

Type and Period (15)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

PRN 60533 Welbourn is first mentioned in Domesday in 1086, the name comes from the Old English of wella and burna, which means 'the stream running from a spring'. {1} Welbourn had a manor, which was held by Robert Malet, a mill and a church with a priest. {2} Fifty families are recorded as living in Welbourn during the late seventeenth / early eighteenth century. {3} By 1801 the population has grown to 360. This growth continued steadily until it peaked in 1871 at 677, the population then began to decline, a decade later in 1881 it is recorded as 550. By 1901 the population stood at 504. {5} The nucleus of the village was known as 'le Southalle' in the fourteenth century. It is likely that 'le Southalle' can be identified with the present manor house in the south of the village. There was a second manor known as 'le Northalle'. The manors appear to have been independent throughout the fourteenth century. However by 1334 both manors were held by Isobel de Vescy. It is after this date that 'le Northalle' was probably abandoned, because by 1374 the site was said to be entirely without buildings. Although other evidence may suggest that more general depopulation may have occurred. {4} A great storm is recorded in Welbourn on the 13th of October 1666. It is documented that on this day it hailed stones as big as pigeon's eggs, and that 44 dwellings were destroyed. {6}{7}{8} The National Mapping Programme has recorded medieval earthworks of tofts, enclosures, ridge and furrow and a boundary ditch from aerial photographs. A medieval bank and ditch earthworks has also been recorded in the village. {10}{11}{12}{13}{14}{15} During a watching brief at 33 High Street (SK 9660 5415), pits and trenches were recorded. Some of these features contained mortar and limestone fragments, which are probably, the remains of robbed out walls. A single sherd of Saxo-Norman pottery was recovered from one of the pits together with a single unstratified sherd. A pond feature was also identified. {16}{17} A small quantity of medieval pottery was recovered during a watching brief at SK9675 5427; these sherds are thought to be associated with the deliberate raising of the ground in this area. {18}{19}{20} During the 1960s medieval pottery was ploughed up at SK 9669 5448. {10}{12}{13}{14} Geophysical survey and trial trenching centred on SK9658 5434 revealed a small 13th century enclosure, with a possible entrance towards the east. The enclosure measured 24m-north south, and 20m-east west. To the north of this a substantial ditch, aligned north/south was thought to have been dug in the 13th century, with a 15th century recut. A stone drain was found in the base of the cut, and in the later recut. The ditch may have been re-established in the 18th century. North-west/south-east aligned ridge and furrow was also recorded. {21}{22}{23} During a watching brief centred on SK963 525, ridge and furrow was recorded as a sub surface deposit. Three sherds of medieval pottery were found during subsequent excavation at the same location. {24} Trial trenching centred on SK9658 5434 recovered a sherd of 9th-11th century pottery and a sherd of 10th-13th century pottery. {25}{26} During trial trenching on Castle Hill, SK 9680 5436, demolition rubble and a large quantity of 18th to 20th century artefacts were recovered. These are thought to relate to agricultural activity, while the abundance of 20th century artefacts probably relate to tipping activity. (Previously PRN 61379){27}{28} For Castle Hill see PRN 60741 During a watching brief at SK96705434, a scatter of 18th-19th century pottery, a Staffordshire chimney pot, a clay pipe stem, and a glass bottle were recovered. A small piece of dressed masonry was also recovered. Although it was not possible to tightly date the piece, it is though to either be from the medieval or early post medieval period. {29}{30} (Taken from now deleted records PRN 61580 and 61579) Traces of ridge and furrow were noted in a field to the south of Hall Orchard Lane (SK 96579 45369) during a watching brief. {33}{34} During trial trenching on land off Beck Road (SK 9678 5418) part of a possible medieval field system was identified. The remains include a possible boundary ditch and furrows. Later ditches and the remains of a post medieval farm building visible on 19th century maps were also encountered. {35}{36} A watching brief undertaken at 60533A in August and Septmber 2009 during groundworks for an extension of Welbourn Village Hall revealed two demolition layers containing stone and 9th to 10th, 10th to 12th and 13th century pottery. This indicates that a stone structure had been demolished during the medieval period. The area was later abandoned and was probably used as pasture or arable land. Undated pits and possible ponds were also found. {37}{38}

Sources/Archives (38)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: Kenneth Cameron. 1998. A Dictionary of Lincolnshire Place-Names. page 135.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: C.W. Foster and T. Longley. 1924. Lincolnshire Domesday and Lindsey Survey. 58/1.
  •  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 137.
  •  Unpublished Document: R.H. Healey and D.R. Roffe. Some Medieval and Later Earthworks in South Lincolnshire. pages 33-34.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: William Page (ed). 1906. The Victoria County History: Lincolnshire - Volume 2. page 361.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: William White. 1892. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire - Fifth Edition. page 341.
  •  Article in Serial: MAYHEW, S.M.. 1879. JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. page 28.
  •  Article in Serial: Swaby, S.W. 1993. 'The collection of briefs: examples from Uffington and extracts on Lincolnshire briefs' in Lincolnshire Past and Present. page 12.
  •  Article in Serial: East, F.W. 1958. The Lincolnshire Historian. pages 1-14.
  •  Index: SMR FILE. WELBOURN. SK 95 SE; B, 1960.
  •  Article in Serial: HEALEY, R.H.. 1988. TRUST FOR LINCOLNSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGY FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. pages 11-12.
  •  Index: SMR FILE. WELBOURN. SK 95 SE; AD.
  •  Index: OS CARD INDEX. WELBOURN. SK95 SE; 1.
  •  Unpublished Document: Ordnance Survey. post 1979. Welbourn Parish. SK 95 SE; 1.
  •  Map: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1992-1996. National Mapping Programme. SK 9653, LI.866.3.1-12, 1996.
  •  Report: PRE-CONSTRUCT ARCHAEOLOGY. 1995. 33 HIGH STREET. HSW 95.
  •  Archive: PRE-CONSTRUCT ARCHAEOLOGY. 1995. 33 HIGH STREET. LCNCC 79.95.
  •  Report: PRE-CONSTRUCT ARCHAEOLOGY. 1994. 28 HIGH STREET. HSW94.
  •  Archive: PRE-CONSTRUCT ARCHAEOLOGY. 1994. 28 HIGH STREET. LCNCC:155.94.
  •  Article in Serial: F.N. Field and I. George. 1995. Archaeology in Lincolnshire. Vol 30 page46.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. April 2001. Land off Hall Orchard Lane, Welbourn. WELHOL01.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. July 2001. Land off Hall Orchard Lane, Welbourn. HORW01.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. July 2001. Land off Hall Orchard Lane, Welbourn. LCNCC 2001.123.
  •  Report: Archaeological Services WYAS. May 2001. Leadenham Quarry Volumes 1 and 2.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. July 2001. Land off Hall Orchard Lane, Welbourn. HORW01.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. July 2001. Land off Hall Orchard Lane, Welbourn. LCNCC: 2001.123.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. Nov 2000. Evaluation of Castle Hill, Welbourn. WCHF00.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Nov 2000. Evaluation of Castle Hill, Welbourn. LCNCC:2000.215.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. March 2001. Land at Washdyke House, 1 Castle Hill, Welbourn. WWH00.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. March 2001. Land at Washdyke House, 1 Castle Hill, Welbourn. LCNCC:2000.321.
  •  Aerial Photograph: 1945-84. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COLLECTION. ARC 60.
  •  Aerial Photograph: COLE, C.. 1993-2002. InnerVisions Business Presentations. 279/0699/10.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2007. Land south of Hall Orchard Lane, Welbourn: Archaeological Watching Brief Report. WHOL06.
  •  Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2007. Land south of Hall Orchard Lane, Welbourn: Archaeological Watching Brief Report. LCNCC 2006.97.
  •  Report: Allen Archaeological Associates. 2007. Archaeological Evaluation Report: Trial Trenching on land off Beck Street, Welbourn. WEBS07.
  •  Archive: Allen Archaeological Associates. 2007. Archaeological Evaluation Report: Trial Trenching on land off Beck Street, Welbourn. LCNCC 2007.212.
  •  Report: Allen Archaeology Ltd. 2009. Archaeological Watching Brief at Welbourn Village Hall, Beck Street, Welbourn. WEVH09.
  •  Archive: Allen Archaeology Ltd. 2009. Archaeological Watching Brief at Welbourn Village Hall, Beck Street, Welbourn. LCNCC 2009.104.

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Grid reference Centred SK 9679 5413 (1165m by 1596m)
Civil Parish WELBOURN, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Aug 24 2021 11:59AM

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