More information : (SW 58924266) Manor House (NR) (site of) (1)
Crane Godrevy, SW 589426 - a fortified homestead or "Round" of
the Iron Age and Romano - British period with medieval re-
occupation. Escavations from 1955 onwards have revealed a
partly revetted bank and outer rock-cut ditch enclosing an acre
or more of ground. The only traces of internal huts are post-
hole settings, all else having been destroyed by later
buildings. Pottery finds, including samian sherds, buff amphora
ware and coarse ware of the type found at Porth Godrevy (SW 54
SE 1) suggest a range of occupation from the 1st century BC to
the 2nd or 3rd century AD., possibly extending to the 4th
century. The site was re-occupied in the 12th century when a
small rectangular dwelling was constructed, followed by a long
rectangular structure of the 14th century, to which wings were
added. A second house was built in the 16th century and
abandonment took place towards the end of the 17th century,
partly because of drifting sand. Crane Godrevy, a subordinate
manor within the Manor of Tehidy, was basicaly a farm, and
extensive field systems have been traced. (2)
There are no surface indications of the enclosure, but its
position, extending from SW 58924265 to 58944266, can be
identified from the cross-cuttings of the excavations. The
manor-house, with walls up to 1.6 m high is situated at SW
58934266. (3)
Surveyed at 1/2500
(SW 58934266) Manor House (NR) (remains of) (NAT) (4)
The earliest Medieval building was house 'X' on Thomas' plan
(5) which produced Sandy Lane style pottery (see SW 54 SE 22)
and would have been in use from about 1100. The 1969 excavation
revealed traces of a similar contemporary house, 'Y' on plan,
and 12th century pottery from the nearby 'round' gateway was
probably associated with it. This type of house, small,
rectangular with stone walls and rounded corners, is found also
in the upper level of the site lower down the hill (SW 54 SE 9),
which was deserted in favour of the higher position within the
round.
A longhouse was built over the first of these buildings
probably between 1150 and 1250, see plans (6). The family who
moved to this site had taken the name de Godrevy by the mid
13th century and by 1310 Henry de Godrevy owned not only his
own small manor but several other properties as well. The old
house was deserted about 1510 when the manor passed into other
hands through the marriage of Joan, daughter of William Godrevy
who was the last of the male line.
The enclosing earthwork is scheduled under Rounds. Thomas (7)
lists fields connected with the manor at SW 588425 and records
(9) an extensive series of strips, also probably part of the
manor cultivation, to the north (see SW 54 SE 19). (5-9)
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