Earthworks Immediately To The West Of Lower Farm |
| Hob Uid: 1430999 | |
Location :
Shropshire
Norton in Hales
|
| Grid Ref : SJ6780038080 |
| Summary : Medieval earthworks in the field immediately to the west of Lower Farm, Ridgewardine. These were seen on oblique aerial photographs from 1994.These earthworks consist of a large rectangular enclosure in the north of the field, surrounded its north and south sides by deep ditches, and a more shallow delineation on its south side. A smaller platform is visible to the west of the large platform. To the south of this are well preserved remains of ridge an furrow, with traces of other activity. To the north of the platform the ground falls away steeply down to a now dried stream course. The remains of a substantial earth dam can be seen along the north-eastern boundary of the present field. There is a break in the centre which could have possibly held a sluice, while the dam itself presumably held back the now defunct water course, creating a large fishpond. The earthwork limits of this fishpond are not visible.The platform may have been the site of the demense farm of Shrewsbury Abbey, superseded after the dissoloution of the monasteries by the 16th century Ridgewardine Manor to the east. |
More information : Medieval earthworks in the field immediately to the west of Lower Farm, Ridgewardine. These were seen on oblique aerial photographs from 1994. Earlier aerial photographs from the 1950s show more extensive tracts of ridge and furrow in the region, although these have largely been ploughed out. These earthworks consist of a large rectangular in the north of the field with large ditches on its east and west sides, and a more slight delineation of its souther edge. To the south of this are well preserved remains of ridge an furrow, with another possible site of a building in the centre. To the north of the platform the ground falls away steeply down to a now dried stream course. The remains of a substantial earth dam can be seen along the north-eastern boundary of the present field. There is a break in the centre which could have possibly held a sluice, while the dam itself presumably held back the now defunct water course, creating a large fishpond. The earthwork limits of this fishpond are not visible.(2-3)
The platform may have been the site of the demense farm of Shrewsbury Abbey, superseded after the dissoloution of the monasteries by the 16th century Ridgewardine Manor to the east. Shrewsbury Abbey held at least part of Ridgewardine in demense by the mid-13th century when it was involved in legal disputes with tenant farmers.(1) |