Monument record 68 - Steane

The earthwork and buried remains of the medieval village of Steane.

{5} Abandoned in the period c.1350 to c.1450 due to enclosure. The manor house was moved and the subsequent house, along with its church and farm, remain. The site was in good condition in 1958.

{11} Deserted village of steane (SP 551 389). Slight earthwork remains of the village lie W. and S.W. of the manor house in Knoll Field. A generally rectangular arrangement of closes is recognisable, with a hollow way running N.W. to S.E. across the S.W. end of the site. N.E. of the hollow way a rectangular enclosure contains at least one
possible building platform. The N.W. end of the enclosure is cut by a large quarry from which a few sherds of 13th and 14th century pottery have come.
Steane was once an independent parish with its own land unit and is first recorded in 1086, in Domesday Book, listed as a single manor of two hides with a recorded population of 18. In 1301 16 people paid the Lay Subsidy and in the 1316 Nomina Villarum Steane is mentioned as an independent vill. The village paid 40s 4d for the 1334 Lay Subsidy and in 1348 28 tenants are recorded. In 1377 51 people over the age of 14 paid the Poll Tax but by 1428 there were less than 10 households in the village. In 1620 the present chapel was built adjacent to the manor house but whether it is on the site of the earlier church is not known. In c.1720 there was only one house in the parish in addition to the manorhouse, but that 'it is formerly believed… that there was once here a flourishing town. Fieldname: Knoll Field.

{12} The whole of the field containing the DMV is under grazed (improved) pasture. The earthworks have been degraded in the past but are still reasonably clear. The pasture is in very good condition with no evidence for erosion or other problems.

{13} Visible around Manor House and church.

{14} The area noted by authority {13} is now cultivated.

<1> Feudal Aids, 4, 51 (unchecked) (Document). SNN46144.

<2> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.196 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<3> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.344 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<4> 1316, Nomina Villarum, (unchecked) (Document). SNN8783.

<5> Allison K.J.; Beresford M.W.; Hurst J.G. et al, 1966, The Deserted Villages of Northamptonshire, p.46 (unchecked) (Report). SNN39628.

<6> PRO series E179, PRO E179/155/31 (Document). SNN115882.

<7> PRO series E179, E179/155/3 (Document). SNN115882.

<8> 1348, PRO E134/102/9, (unchecked) (Document). SNN108183.

<9> PRO series E179, PRO E179/155/28 (Document). SNN115882.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP53NE1 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<11> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.56 Site 18 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<12> Cadman G.E., 1996, Farthinghoe Parish: Steane Park, (checked) (Report). SNN49716.

<13> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, AP (RAF CPE/UK/1926 Jan '47 2214 & 5) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<14> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, F1 JB 09-APR-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

<15> Aerial Photograph, A/P (CUAP SA22-3, AAV 17-18) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<16> Historic England, Undated, Steane, P10584 (Archive). SNN115548.

Record last edited

Jan 31 2025 1:55PM