| Summary : Remains of the deserted medieval settlement of Seacourt, situated on either side of the cutting of the Oxford Western Bypass. Limited excavation in 1939, along with more recent investigation, including the examination of aerial photographs, confirm the extent of the settlement and the survival of associated buried remains dating from between 1300 and 1400. The village is laid out around several hollow ways or streets, the most prominent odf which runs roughly north-south to the west of the modern road. At least nine building platforms lie alongside these hollow ways. The site of the church is also visible. A Roman-British ditch and circular building were found, dating from the mid 2nd century to the 4th century AD. Pottery of 10th to early 12th century date was also found, along with a fragment of blue glass thought to date from the 12th century. Earthworks associated with the village were mapped from air photographs by RCHME's Thames Valley NMP project. |
More information : [Area SP 48550745] Seacourt Village [G.T.] (Site of) [T.I.] (1)
The site of the deserted medieval village of Seacourt, Wytham, was excavated in 1937-9 and again in 1958-9 before its partial destruction by the Oxford Western By-pass.
No buildings earlier than the late C12th were found in any of the excavated areas.
There was however, almost everywhere, a scatter of earlier pottery suggesting occupation nearby, perhaps in the C10th but certainly in the C11th, and earlier C12th. The earliest buildings were of wood, being replaced by stone structures at dates varying from mid C13th to mid C14th.
Desertion seems to have taken place between c.1350 and 1400, and a petition of 1439 refers to the church as 'Collapsed' and only two houses remained.
Roman pottery occured in most of the areas excavated but Roman structures were found only in Area 5 [see plan AO/LP/63/81], where there was a ditch and other occupation traces, and perhaps in Area 26 which showed a circular building of uncertain nature (? a threshing floor), but possibly of Roman date. Finds date the occupation from about mid C2nd AD to well into the C4th. No trace of any really substantial buildings was found, and the shallow ditch perhaps suggests that the site was that of a farmstead of native type. (2-6)
The Oxford by-pass follows the line of the village street. There are now no intelligible remains of the DMV and the published entry is correctly positioned along the village site. To the E of the present road the ground has vague undulations some of which may be of modern origin. (7)
SP 486074: Seacourt deserted village (site of) east of
Marleywood Plantation is scheduled as an Ancient Monument (Oxon No. 236). (8)
An aerial photograph of part of the site, viewed obliquely from the
south east shows earthworks. (9)
A small fragment of blue glass, decorated with gilded enamel, of
probable C12 from this site was part of a `Byzantine' bottle. Only
one other such fragment has been found in England. (10)
Additional references. (11-15)
(SP 483075). A land drainage scheme in the area of the site to the west of the dual carriageway located substantial remains of the
settlement. This included spreads of dark soil and building rubble associated with medieval pottery within the vicinity of two hollow ways. (16)
Earthworks associated with village, representing an ordered group of rectangular enclosures and a hollow way, were mapped from good quality air photographs as part of the RCHME's Thames Valley NMP project (Morph Nos. TG.571.9.1-3, TG.571.10.1). (17)
SP 48470741; SP 48620746. Remains of the deserted medieval settlement of Seacourt, situated on either side of the cutting of the Oxford Western Bypass. Limited excavation in 1939, along with more recent investigation, including the examination of aerial photographs, confirm the extent of the settlement and the survival of associated buried remains dating from between 1300 and 1400. The village is laid out around several hollow ways or streets, the most prominent odf which runs roughly north-south to the west of the modern road. At least nine building platforms lie alongside these hollow ways. The site of the church is also visible.. Earthworks associated with the village were mapped from air photographs by RCHME's Thames Valley NMP project. Scheduling amended. (18) |