More information : Settlement (SK 880892) of Sturgate, though documented since the end of the 12th century,(a) is never returned separately for taxation and similar purposes. Despite the small size it has clearly always been, it has not been deserted. It has a remarkably regular overall layout based on an E-W street with matching rectangular blocks of tofts to N and S of closely similar depths: streets surround the whole layout.(b) Traces of ridge-and-furrow within the tofts, at least one property boundary lining up across the street, and the similarity of the whole layout in N-S dimension to the length of adjacent furlongs combine to suggest that the settlement was planned and laid out over former arable. (1-2)
A possible Medieval ditched boundary, possibly part of the Medieval settlement referred to by the previous authority, was seen as earthworks and mapped from good quality air photographs. The boundary is 80m long and is centred at SK 8795 8921. (Morph No. LI.9.2.1)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (3)
The single earthwork recorded by authority 3 still survives. (4) |