More information : [Area TF 475 651] Earthworks visible on air photographs
suggest that the village of Bratoft is now considerably reduced
in size. (1)
Earthworks centred to TF 474653 are old claypits. Others are field
strips and shrinkage. (2)
In the field centred TF 475650 Smith notes on her map 'shrunken
village earthworks' and in the field centred TF 474652 she notes
'channels and spoil heaps of ? medieval industrial site'. (See
illust.) (3)
The Medieval settlement remains referred to by the previous
authorities were seen as earthworks, around the present village of
Bratoft, and mapped from good quality air photographs. The area
authority 2 refers to as 'old clay pits' has a moat like feature as
its focus. This moat encloses a subrectangular area, measuring 70m
by 70m, and is centred at TF 4743 6525. It has a funnel shaped entrance in its east side. Surrounding the moat are the remains of
conjoined ditched enclosures, ranging in size from 100m by 40m to 40m
by 35m. These are probably the remains of tofts and crofts. Ridge
and furrow is visible north and west of the moat, centred at
TF 4730 6525 and TF 4740 6538. A system of crofts extends south from
here and are also visible, east of the church, centred at
TF 4752 6500. The possible remains of a building are visible, in one
of the tofts and is centred at TF 4758 6501. Fragmentary remains of
tofts and crofts are also visible centred at TF 4756 6474 and
TF 4724 6485. The settlement remains, although fragmentary, form a
coherent pattern around the present village. The industrial site
referred to by authority 3, and the clay pits referred to by
authority 2, were not identified on the available air photographs. A
moat and more settlement remains are visible just to the north (see
TF 46 NE 8) and almost certainly form part of the development of
Medieval settlement at Bratoft. (Morph No. LI.392.1.4-24)
This description has been generated from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
(4) |