More information : SK 928 930. Settlement remains of the shrunken , polyfocal,
settlement of Hemswell shown on early aerial photographs (a), within
and on the fringe of the present village, are now almost entirely
levelled or built over. The limits of old enclosure mapped in 1792
similarily indicate a once larger settlement, especially along Beck
Lane. (1-1a)
The Medieval or Post Medieval settlement remains associated with
Hemswell village survive as earthworks, but some areas have been
levelled and were visible as cropmarks and mapped from good quality
air photographs.
To the north of Beck Lane, centred at SK 9382 9124, is a hollow way
flanked by rectangular ditched enclosures, 120m by 45m, interpreted
as crofts. These features were visible as cropmarks. To the south
of Beck Lane earthworks of ditched and embanked crofts are centred at
SK 9275 9104. Within these two crofts the foundations of two
buildings (9m by 6m) are visible at SK 9272 9102.
To the west and south of the crofts are earthworks of ridge and
furrow, extending over an extensive area, W-E from SK 9211 9092 to
SK 9315 9055 and N-S from SK 9265 9222 to SK 9315 9055. A hollow
way extends westwards from the village for 420m from SK 9211 9105
to SK 9252 9111.
Another group of earthworks associated with settlement lies to the
east of Hemswell village. Embanked crofts, centred at SK 9320 9092,
lie to the west of a hollow way, centred at SK 9326 9099. At the
northern end of the hollow way, the foundations of buildings were
identified at SK 9317 9107 and SK 9321 9105, but these earthworks
have been destroyed. To the west of the buildings are three sides
of a substantial ditched enclosure, centred at SK 9313 9108. It
coincides with the site of a Medieval church marked on the
enclosure map of 1792 (2a). This enclosure may relate to the church
site, enclosing its cemetery.
(Morph LI.611.6.1-4, 7.1-11, 8.1, 9.1-3)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
(2-2a) |