More information : TF 201 947. Deserted medieval village of Orford. Twenty-four people
in 1377, one family in 1563. (1-2)
[Area: TF 197 946] Earthworks visible on air photographs may give
some indication of the extent of the village. See TF 19 SE/5 for
Orford Priory. (3)
At TF 1977 9464 are the remains of a raised roadway with steadings
along the south side. All evidence to the north has been destroyed
by modern agriculture. Fishponds published further to the south are
of a much later period, probably 19th century. Village remains
surveyed at 1:2500. (4)
TF 1971 9452. Site of medieval nunnery and settlement, Orford (see
also TF 19 SE/5). Scheduled RSM no. 22605. (5)
The Medieval settlement at Orford lies towards the east end of
the parish of Stainton Le Vale, on the north side of the valley
of the east flowing Beck, on chalk, between 60m and 70m above
OD. The village was formerly the centre of a separate parish.
It may have been deliberately relocated in this position after
the Premonstratensian priory (see TF 19 SE 5) had been
established on its earlier site. For a description of the
documentary evidence for Medieval settlement at Orford see
reference 6.
The remains of the village are in good condition, but the
surviving earthworks have an apparently curious arrangement.
The main feature of the site is a line of well preserved house
(visible from TF 1992 9474 to TF 1966 9457), extending along the
north west of the site with, in most cases, small closes or
paddocks extending down the hillside behind them. It is probable
that there was once a street immediately to the north west of
these. Presumably other closes and houses lay on its north west
side but very few finds have been found and so it appears Orford
was confined solely to the south east of the supposed main
street, a plan of a type recognised in Lincolnshire and
Northamptonshire. Extending south east down the valley sides
are two subsidiary hollow ways, one probably connected to the
main street. That to the south west (centred at TF 1967 9450)
meets a much larger curving hollow way (centred at TF 1962 9447)
which divides the village from Orford Priory to the south west.
The former hollow way has at least five building platforms on
its south west side, associated with small closes. The second
hollow way, near the centre of the village, (centred at
TF 1977 9464), also has building platforms near it. A block of
slight ridge and furrow is centred at TF 1696 9448. Towards the
north east of the site a more irregular arrangement of closes,
including some larger building platforms and ponds may be the
site of a late Medieval courtyard Farmstead. (6)
The settlement has also been mapped from air photographs. (7) |