Monument record 6415 - Open Field System, Middleton Cheney

{1} The common fields of Middleton Cheney were enclosed by Act of Parliament of 1769. On the Enclosure Map of about 1770 most of the land attributable to the village is shown as being under common fields. The furlongs and accessways depicted on it agree exactly with the ridge and furrow which still exists or can be traced on air photos. (The separate common fields of Overthorpe, were enclosed together with Warkworth.)
Large areas of ridge and furrow can be recovered, arranged in end-on and interlocked furlongs except along the steep-sided S-draining valleys where it lies at right angles to the contours. There is a good example of two former end-on furlongs being ploughed as one, with the ridges riding over the earlier headland (SP510417).

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.101-2 site 4 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> c.1770, Enclosure Map of Middleton Cheney, (unchecked) (Map). SNN109634.

Record last edited

Jul 16 2014 11:52AM