Monument record 1653/9 - Woodford medieval settlement

Woodford village shrinkage or movement. Scheduled Monument

{1} Settlement remains (SP 96807660) formerly part of Woodford village, lie south-west of the church and immediately west of the rectory, on limestone at 140 ft above OD. The site was already abandoned in 1731 (map in NRO) when it was all within a single field called Bateson's Close.

The remains occupy a rectangular piece of land bounded on the east by an existing lane and on the north, south and west by a bank and scarp up to 2 m. high. Along the edge of the lane at the north end are four sub-rectangular sunken hollows, probably former house sites, with slight remains of closes behind them. At the south end is a complex area which comprises at least 12 rectangular building-platforms, cut into the hillside and arranged in a roughly rectangular pattern. To the west of them is a circular feature, bounded by a low bank 0.5 m. in height, which encloses a low mound, now much damaged. The purpose and date of this feature are unknown.

{2} Intrenchments in Days Close, recorded in the 1830s.

{5} Irregular mounds on the site may represent quarry spoil.

{6, 7} SP 968766 Portion of the Medieval village of Woodford which has now shrunk leaving a small area of deserted tofts and crofts. The remains lie in a rectangular plot of land bounded on the east by a lane, and on the north, west and south by a bank up to 2.0m high. There are four probable house-platforms along the north end of the lane and a further twelve lie to the south, set into the hillside and arranged in a rectangular pattern. To the west is a circular bank, 0.5m high, enclosing a low mound.

It is possible that this shrunken site is in fact the earlier village which later expanded to the north and west.

Nothing visible on RAF air photographs.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 112; Fig 118/Site 10 (Series). SNN77379.

<2> Cole J., 1830/1842, The History and Antiquities of Woodford, p. 52 (Book). SNN48118.

<3> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<4> 1731, Map of Woodford Parish (NRO Map 2684) (Map). SNN36978.

<5> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Roman), p. 14 (Article). SNN100535.

<6> DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, Ancient Monument Recording Form, DOE (IAM) AM Rec Form 21.1.77 (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN115158.

<7> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, APs (RAF 541/602 3155-6 4.8.50) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<8> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890439 [Figure 118 on page 112. Publication proof.] (Archive). SNN113295.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 6:12PM