| Summary : Well-preserved and extensive earthworks of the deserted medieval village called Warron in Domesday Book, later Lesser, South or West Wharram, and Wharram Percy after that. First mapped by the Ordnance Survey in 1850, the village and its environs were intensively excavated and researched by Professor M Beresford and Dr J Hurst from 1952-92; as a result it is the most famous and best understood example of its type. Extensive occupation from prehistoric times onwards was revealed and the excavations showed that the village developed from a late Saxon core near the church of St Martin's (record 1034968). This and the vicarage (record 1363828) lie in the valley bottom on the edge of the main settled area. Two manors are documented: the South Manor (SE 86 SE 51) was discovered by chance during excavations in 1955; the North Manor (SE 86 SE 52) has seen little excavation and has been interpreted as such on the basis of its earthworks. The Percy family acquired both manors in the mid 13th century Two mills are documented, although only one of these can be located (recorded as records 1363825 and 1363882); both were powered by The Beck. The village, surrounded by its open fields (record 1361555), comprises the earthworks of circa 30 crofts and tofts with associated outbuildings, laid out along three main trackways, one of which originated in the Roman period. Patterning in the lay-out of the plots is suggestive of a planned settlement; although the date of this planning is uncertain, the 10th century seems most likely. Thirty houses were mentioned in 1368, 16 in 1458 and the occupants of the last 4 households were evicted before 1517 to make way for sheep pasture. An Improvement farm (record 1363845) was built in 1775-9, its foundations eventually incorporated into a row of workers' cottages built circa 1850, which still stand (Record 1363861). Following excavation, some of the structures were consolidated for display to visitors. The site is in the care of English Heritage. |
More information : [SE 858644] Site of Wharram Percy Village [TI] (1)
Excavations were carried out in 1950 by MW Beresford on the site of Wharram Percy village. (2,3)
Remains of village surveyed. (4)
For interim reports on excavations at Wharram Percy see Medieval Village Research Group file. (5)
Wharram Percy, mentioned in Domesday and Lay Subsidy of 1334, has been excavated annually over the last twenty years.
Interim reports. (6-11)
The surface remains of the village consist of turf covered rectangular building foundations with garths and several hollow ways, all of which are generally in poor condition. (12)
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Excavation at Wharram Percy began in 1950 and continued annually until 1990. At first, investigation was centred on the two fields containg earthworks, but developed into a much wider landscape study. Some 100 trenches within the village area were excavated, but this only accounts for 6 per cent of the area in English Heritage Guardianship.
Wharram Percy has been deserted since the early 16th century, villagers being last recorded in 1517. Extensive occupation from prehistoric times onwards was revealed, however, by the Research Project. This included a scatter of Neolithic and Bronze Age flints, an Iron Age road with a series of rectangular enclosures, and part of a defensive Iron Age ditch with gateway. Occupation continued through the Roman period with Romano British farms first utilizing the earlier earthworks and then in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD modifying them. A series of late Roman grain drying kilns were found. Worked stone from a major stone building suggests the possibility of a Roman villa, but no trace has yet been found. There is evidence for early Saxon occupation, and six different foci of middle Saxon activity have been located, but although late Saxon pottery is evident no contemporary structures have been found. The visible earthworks represent a planned village.
Although the sequence is not complete, the coincidence of a major Iron Age site underneath the north manor house, with traces of Roman and Saxon occupation as well, does indicate that there might have been continued occupation over a period of some 1500 years.
The site is now open to the public with recreations of medieval and post medieval features. The full results of the Wharram Percy Research Project are in the process of publication in a series of monographs. (13-15)
Discussion of inhumations in the middle Anglo-Saxon period. (16)
In mid-November 2001, the Archaeological Investigation section of English Heritage carried out a survey of the site at Level 1 to inform the preparation of a Conservation Statement for the monument, which is in Guardianship.
The earthwork remains are generally as described by previous sources, but there is little to support speculation about any direct continuity from the Iron Age. Analysis of the earthworks in the course of the prolonged research project was carried out in a piecemeal fashion, and further field survey is likley to provide better understanding of the development of the settlement as a whole. While elements of the settlement pattern may be interpreted as representing a planned layout, there is also evidence of the development of the pattern and encroachments onto earlier trackways and open fields.
Several of the excavated buildings were consolidated and laid out for display to visitors in the wake of the excavations.
A copy of the report and interpretative plan are available through the NMR. (17)
SE 8583 6436 (FCE) WHARRAM PERCY
In June and July 2002, English Heritage carried out a detailed investigation and field survey of Wharram Percy and its environs following a request from Dr Stuart Wrathmell, in order to underpin the completion of a synoptic publication of the long-running Wharram Percy Research Project. the investigation also fulfilled recommendations made by the same EH team following a briefer inspection in 2001 (see Source 17). A number of associated and earlier monuments previously described as part of the entry for the medieval village were allocated new records.
The Level 3 report on the investigation, which includes full textual description and analysis, plans at various scales, photographs and interpretative drawings, is available through the NMR. (18)
Description of the late 8th century cross shaft from Area 6. (19)
Article examining the faunal remains from Wharram Percy. (20)
An article on the pathology of medieval skeletons from Wharram Percy and York, revealing the relativly high incidence of evidence for respiratory diseases caused by fungal spores and smoke. (21)
A study of the humain remains from medieval Wharram Percy published in 1994 has suggested that some bone diseases from which elderly people suffer today were not present in this medieval population, although cases of osteoporosis was as severe amongst the female population as it is today. (22)
Article on the methodology of identifying the elements of the Medieval landscape at Wharram Percy and their reconstruction for example by replanting and coppice-management. (23)
A paper on the "South Manor area" of Wharram Percy medieval village (24)
A paper on the topography of Wharram Percy in a volume putting the site in it's European context. (25)
Report by English Heritage's archaeological investigation section on survey work carried out early in the 21st century- see also source 17 and 18. (26)
Report detailing geophysical surveys carried out at Wharram Percy from 1984-2002. (27)
Details of radio carbon dates from Wharram Percy from samples given for dating prior to 1981. They include human remains from the church. (28)
Analysis of human remains from the churchyard at Wharram Percy, with interesting indications about life and death in the medieval village. The anaylsis suggests that burials began in the mid 10th century, bfore the construction of the first stone church there. Most of the burials dated from between the 11-14th century. A total of 687 burials were excavated, which is estimated to be about 10% of the burials in the churchyard. Of the total excavated, 15% of the individuals died before their frist birthday. This represents a lower rate of infant mortality than in many predictions of medieval mortality rates. Growth in individuals up to the age of 1 year was similar to modern populations, but from above that age the growh of the mediecal children from Wharram was slower and poorer. Life expectancy was reasonable for the period, with 40% of individuals surviving to over 50. Males outnumbered females in the population by 3-2. Evidence of disease encountered included Tuberculosis. In comparison to contemporary remains at York, this population had a lower incidence of infectious diseases. (29)
Brief, accessible account of Wharram Percy published in 2004 (30)
English Heritage Guidebook Wharram Percy Deserted Medieval Village. Details a tour of the earthworks and History of the settlement, from Late Iron Age, through the Saxon period and into the main period of occupation 1254-1315. The decline of the village with a brief period of recovery 1352-1450 is also detailed up until the rediscovery in the 1950s. The first excavation was in 1950 by Maurice Beresford and some of his students.Joined by John Hurst in 1952 excavations continued annually until 1990. The archaeological site came into the care of English Heritage in 1974. Further information can be found from the EH website. (31)
Scheduled. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (32-33) |