Summary

The site of a medieval nucleated settlement at Upton Cressett which is situated on a gentle south-east facing slope and overlooks tributaries of the Borle Brook to the north-east and south-east.

Source: Historic England

Details

The site includes earthworks and buried remains representing plot or croft boundaries; building platforms; and trackways or hollow ways of a nucleated medieval settlement to the south-east of Upton Cressett Hall (Grade I) and the C12 former Church of St Michael (Grade I).

The settlement is located on a slight plateau that gently slopes to the north-east and south-east. Although the settlement appears to have once extended into the adjacent field to the south-west, this area has been cultivated and there is no evidence for earthworks surviving in this field. The site is bisected by a broad hollow way running in a south-easterly direction. It represents the course of the main street through village and is visible as a substantial feature up to 3m deep. A small-scale excavation in the western part of the site recovered evidence of stratified deposits including a gully and several pottery sherds of C12/C13 date. The greatest concentration of earthworks is situated to the south-west of the hollow way and includes a series of building platforms of various sizes, banks and other linear features, possibly defining small paddocks or enclosures. One group of at least three house platforms is arranged along the south-west side of the hollow way, while there is evidence for further building platforms parallel with the lane which defines the north-west boundary of the site. To the south-east, is another ,less distinct, hollow way running at right angles to the main street and several other building platforms align with this feature, including a large rectangular platform that measures approximately 25m north-east to south-west by 10m north-west to south-east. This may represent the position of a large building, possibly a barn or other agricultural structure. To the south-east is a circular feature, possibly a pond, which appears to cut into the medieval earthworks.

On the opposite side of the hollow way (north-east) are further building platforms and a series of linear earthworks, including a long curving bank, possibly the remains of a trackway, which, although less well defined, represent further features associated with the settlement.

All fence and gate posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground around and beneath them is included.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The medieval settlement at Upton Cressett is scheduled for the following principal reasons:
* Survival: the earthworks of the medieval settlement survive well and contain a good range of features such as building platforms, trackways, enclosures and field systems relating to the occupation of the site and farming practices during the medieval period;
* Potential: the site will retain further evidence, in the form of buried archaeological features, that will increase our understanding of its character and occupation;
* Group value: it forms a strong grouping with Upton Cressett Hall and the former Church of St Michael, both listed at Grade I; the historic interest of the settlement is considerably enhanced by its association with these medieval buildings.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Websites
Nooks and Corners of Shropshire, 1899, accessed from http://www.melocki.org.uk/nooks/Nooks.html
Other
Dr R. H. White, Results of excavation at Upton Cressett medieval settlement, 2012, per. comm,
Title: Map of Upton Cressett
Source Date: 1647
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Source: Historic England