Monument record 1233/0/1 - Deserted Hamlet, north-west of Knotwood Fields Farm

Earthwork remains of a deserted settlement, the name of which is unkown, although it formerly lay in Furtho parish. Pottery of 12th to 14th century date has been recovered from ploughed fields. Disappeared by 1835.

{1} Large quantities of limestone blocks/ rubble associated with the platforms on either side of the hollow way, as well as linear stone areas in the fields running away from the house sites. Pottery scatters are associated with the stone scatters, especially towards the stream.

{2} Until modern parish boundary revisions the site lay in Furtho parish. The history and indeed the name of this settlement is unknown though it is presumably listed in Domesday Book as one of the three small manors all called Furtho. Thereafter there is no record of its existence; it had certainly disappeared by 1835.

The site has been ploughed and all that is recoverable is stone-rubble and pottery. The latter dates mainly from the 12th to 14th centuries and includes Potterspury wares. Air photographs taken in 1947 (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 4245–6) show that the area was already under cultivation then, but indicate clearly the form of the settlement. It then consisted of a broad hollow-way running NW-SE and visible for about 200 m. On the north-east side ridge-and-furrow extended to the edge of the hollow-way, but on the south-west there were at least four embanked and ditched closes 60 m long and 20 m-40 m wide.

{5/7} SP 773422: A deserted hamlet. Its name and history are unknown but it is probably one of three manors listed in Domesday as Furtho. Thereafter there is no record of it and it certainly had disappeared by 1835 (a). The site is ploughed, only stone rubble and pottery remain. APs (b) indicate clearly the form of the settlement - a broad hollow-way running NW-SE, 200m long, ridge and furrow on the NE side and banked and ditched closes on the SW.

{6} Cropmarks of medieval closes can be seen on aerial photos NCCAP: SP7742/010+13-14

<1> 1978, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN50388.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.110/Site 9 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1979, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1978, 14/108 (checked) (Article). SNN45225.

<4> 1835, Map of Furtho, (unchecked) (Map). SNN28038.

<5> 1982, Aerial Photography in Northamptonshire 1981, 17/108 Old Stratford (checked) (Journal). SNN104561.

<6> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, (unchecked) (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<7> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.324-26+374 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

Record last edited

Feb 16 2024 2:43PM