More information : Dunsthorpe is mentioned in 1316, the site of the village is marked by the Grange, Hameringham. The church was in ruins by 1421, and in 1437-8 the parishes of Dunsthorpe and Hameringham were united. By 1601 all that remained of the village was "one little close called chappell yarde". This close has become part of the adjoining grass field, OS 25", 81/8 no. 119 [TF 3021 6592], but its boundaries can be traced immediately to the East of the present grange. Many bones of men, women and children have been found there. A.P.'s (3) show faint rectilinear markings. (1-3) The boundaries of chapel close cannot now be traced, but the indicated pasture field contains slight evidence of desertion, ie an old field road, old drainage, general disturbance, but no building site. All other fields surrounding the grange (present building c1700) are arable. The owner has made no finds. (4)
Additional reference. (5)
The Medieval settlement to the east of The Grange was seen as earthworks and mapped from poor quality air photographs. It consists of three conjoined enclosures, possibly crofts, centred at TF 3019 6595 each with an average width of 30m. To the east and south are two blocks of ridge and furrow. To the west is a 160m long plough headland which was seen as a cropmark.
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (6) |