Monument record 764 - Seawell

Site of a deserted medieval village.

{1} The village was held in two manors; both came in the late 14th century to non-resident families known later for enclosures elsewhere. The actual occupier kept 400 sheep here in 1547. Only slight remains of the DMV were visible in 1963.

{3} First mentioned in 1086 when the Domesday book lists it as a single manor with a recorded population of 13. Nothing is then known about its size until the early 18th century. Divided into two manors in the late medieval period. It was enclosed in 1547.

Apart from Seawell Cottage and the stone foundations of a house to the west, nothing remains on the site of the village. No earthworks are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1947 and in 1970 only a mutilated dam of a former pond was noted. Since then the area has been landscaped and a series of small ponds have been constructed in the valley bottom. A few sherds of late medieval pottery have been found in the area.

{4} In around 1720 it was a 'hamlet only of two houses, but was formerly a more considerable place'.

{6} Archaeological observation during works in 1989 associated with the reserve did not identify any significant medieval remains.

{7} Two houses marked, one lying on the edge of the village, but the other, a large farm, was well to the south and lying on former ridge and furrow.

{8} An 18th century estate map shows the township as fully enclosed with small irregular enclosures around the settlement and much larger enclosures in the remainder. By 1880 the larger enclosures have been further sub-divided. Seawell wood is shown on both maps.

{10} The south part of the DMV is visible bounded by rig and furrow but the boundary north of Seawell Cottages is harder to make out.

{11} Seawell now comprises only a pair of 19th century semi-detached, unoccupied cottages. An older house published at SP 63685255 (OS 25" 1898) was demolished 'many years ago' and only a few stones mark the site, probably never more than a small hamlet, the only associated earthwork is a much mutilated pond bay at SP
63115246.

<1> Allison K.J.; Beresford M.W.; Hurst J.G. et al, 1966, The Deserted Villages of Northamptonshire, p.45 (unchecked) (Report). SNN39628.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP65SW2 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.15/Site 2 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77382.

<4> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.231 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<5> Gould J., 2000, The Culworth Gang, p.38-48 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102514.

<6> CADMAN G.E., 1989, Blakesley parish: Seawell DMV- an assessment, October 1989, (unchecked) (Report). SNN57263.

<7> 1726, Map of Blakesley, (unchecked) (Map). SNN13896.

<8> Hall D.N.; Britnell T., 2000?, South Northamptonshire Historic Landscape: Part III, p. 9 (Report). SNN103302.

<9> 1857, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN60127.

<10> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, AP's (RAF CPE/UK/1926 3046/7 16.1.47) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<11> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, F1 BHS 02-FEB-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

Record last edited

Jan 31 2025 2:58PM