Monument record 7198/404 - Kettering Demesne Lands

{1}{2} In 1086 there was just 1 plough in demesne. By 1125-8 this had increased to 4 ploughs, with 32 oxen, 12 cows, 10 calves, 2 rested stock, 3 weathers, 300 sheep, 50 pigs. The account totals for stock and grain and the uses to which dayworks were put in 1292 gives an indication of both the scale and general emphasis of the demesne economy.
The demesne in 1587 comprised 590 acres. This included a large consolidated block of pastures of nearly 350 acres called Hall Fields, which must represent the enclosure of a large area of open fields to the west of The Slade of which only a small area, Cransley Brooks, still survived unenclosed. This may well represent a consolidated medieval demesne, rather than the result of later reorganisation for inclosure. In 1541-3 it is described as a pasture called ‘le halle felde’. The demesne also included the warren and the park. Even in the open fields the demesne was held in consolidated blocks close to the town, with the more distant, but again generally consolidated blocks being rented out. No attempt has been made to trace the distribution of demesne at an earlier date, though the available sources may well enable this to be achieved, but in 1321-1 some 300 acres of arable land were in demesne together with more than 16 acres of pasture. At this time it appears from the accounts that the majority of the demesne was cultivated directly by the manor. However by 1488 and 1587 the manor site and demesne had been rented out for £26/13/4d.

{3} The site of the convent appears to have been situated within a large block of consolidated demense land in the medieval period, descripbed as pasture in 1541-3 called 'le halle felde'. The demesne land also included the warren and park.

<1> Foard G.F., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Kettering (Medieval + Post Medieval), (checked) (Digital archive). SNN100747.

<2> Kettering 1587, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100752.

<3> Prentice J.;Brown J.; Walker C., 2014, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Building Evaluation for The Convent of Our Lady, Hall Lane, Kettering, Northamptonshire, December 2003, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN109893.

Record last edited

Apr 1 2015 12:01PM