Summary

Medieval settlement and ridge and furrow, 441m south west of Middle Barton.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 26 May 2016. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes the remains of settlement of medieval date and its associated ridge and furrow, situated adjacent to the River Aln on level ground. In the middle of the scheduled area are the remains of a single farmstead preserved as a low earthwork. The presence of a single building indicates that Barton was a non-nucleated village including Middle and Low Barton. Surrounding the building on all sides is extensive and well-preserved ridge and furrow.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The village was a significant component of the rural landscape in most areas of medieval England, much as it is today. Villages provided some services to the local community and acted as the main focal point of ecclesiastical, and often of manorial, administration within each parish. Although the sites of many of these villages have been occupied continuously down to the present day, many others declined in size or were abandoned throughout the medieval and post-medieval periods, particularly during the 14th and 15th centuries. As a result over 2000 deserted medieval villages are recorded nationally. The reasons for desertion were varied but often reflected declining economic viability, changes in land use such as enclosure or emparkment, or population fluctuations as a result of widespread epidemics such as the Black Death. As a consequence of their abandonment these villages are frequently undisturbed by later occupation and contain well-preserved archaeological deposits. Because they are a common and long-lived monument type in most parts of England, they provide important information on the diversity of medieval settlement patterns and farming economy between the regions and through time.

The medieval settlement and ridge and furrow, 441m south west of Middle Barton is well-preserved and is one of the best examples of a village with its associated field system in north east England. The monument will contain archaeological deposits relating to its construction, use and abandonment.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:- 5321 (ridge and furrow), 5313 (building)

Source: Historic England