Monument record 4278 - Open Field System, Clipston

The common fields of Clipston were enclosed, along with those of Nobold, by Act of Parliament in 1776. Much of the ridge and furrow of the fields is well-preserved. The furlongs are often short and interlocked in response to the broken nature of the landscape, particularly west and north of the village, but there are also groups of end-on furlong.

{3} The medieval field system was easily recoverable. As usual for the county almost the whole area had been subjected to ridge and furrow cultivation, leaving only small areas of flooding land adjacent to brooks. The documentation in the post medieval period also demonstrates the usual contraction of ploughland area with an increase in the area of closes adjacent to the village and the reversion of far distant quarters of the parish to permanent pasture (leys).
The furlong pattern adjacent to Clipston is complicated and seems to suggest a shift of site from high ground to the more sheltered lower aspect on the east. Thus on the east the crofts have ridge and furrow within them, demonstrating expansion on to former open fields. On the west there are deserted crofts leaving village earthworks and hollow ways. Adjacent to these, still farther west there is a complicated network of small furlongs. The lie of the land does not demand such complications, and there is the possibility that these are the ploughed over streets and crofts of an earlier (Saxon?) siting of the village.
Further details of furlongs.

{5} Re-assessment of earthwork survival within the priority townships.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.51 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77381.

<2> Catchpole, T. & Priest, R., 2012, Turning the Plough Update Assessment 2012, (unchecked) (Report). SNN108491.

<3> Hall, D. & Harding, R., 1979, Clipston Parish Survey 1976, 9/21/31 (checked) (Article). SNN16531.

<4> Hollowell S., 1999, Northamptonshire Inclosure: The Commissioners and Other Officials, p.44-5 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102530.

<5> Hall D.; Chadwick P., 2013, Assessment of Midland Ridge and Furrow: Rugby Sustainable Urban Extension, Warwickshire, (part checked) (Report). SNN109403.

Record last edited

Sep 4 2024 4:06PM