Monument record 2953 - Possible Early to Early Middle Saxon Dispersed Settlement Formerly Known as Clofesho

Possible location of early-early middle Saxon settlement, including possible manor or palace site.

{1} Davis put forward the theory in 1962 that perhaps Brixworth is the unidentified Saxon settlement of Clofsho ({2}). He pointed out that in spite of having the most important surviving church in Mercia there is no mention of it by Bede, or in any Anglo-Saxon document. Brixworth (Briclesworde) is not mentioned until Domesday. However Mercian ecclesiastical councils were frequently held in the unidentified place of Clofesho, at least seven times between AD716 and 825.
The results of present fieldwork show an extraordinary amount of settlement to the west of the present village, all of it on ironstone soil. So far a total of 19 sites has been identified, finds indicating that all are domestic in nature. The concentrations of sherds are adequate to define a settlement site, though the area was probably not densely occupied.
To the west the boundary is marked by a scarp at about the 370ft contour. There is a considerable earthwork along this boundary, possibly the eastern boundary of a medieval enclosure called the Nord Lynch. To the east the Saxon finds run to the present village. If all the pasture fields lying interspersed between the arable fields yielding Saxon material are similarly occupied then the total acreage of the site is about 350, running for nearly one mile along two impressive spurs. This large tract lies continguous to the medieval and modern village and links up the sites of the church and the manor site of Wolfage. The authors suggest that their fieldwork along with its topographical context present the first real evidence that Brixworth may be Clofesho (however they point out that an alternative location in the Thames Valley has also been suggested).

The fields adjacent to Wolfage manor are called "Palace End" and "Palace End Rick", and have been since at least 1671. Pavey first put forward the suggestion in 1902 that perhaps here was the site of a Saxon palace. Parsons came to the conclusion that the name is derived from 'paleis' meaning the park pales, which the authors also tend to favour. However in view of the Saxon material in the adjacent fields it is still possible that there was a Saxon manor here, before the medieval one.

<1> Hall D.N.; Martin P., 1978, Brixworth, Northamptonshire: An Intensive Field Survey, p.1-6 (checked) (Report). SNN57221.

<2> DAVIS R.H.C., 1962, Brixworth and Clofesho, p.71 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN105081.

<3> Pavey A.K. Rev., 1906, Some Notes on The Parochial History of Brixworth, p.575-92 (unchecked) (Series). SNN47065.

<4> PARSONS D., Brixworth and Its Monastery Church, p.178-9 (unchecked) (Report). SNN105093.

<5> Pavey A.K. Rev., 1902, Some Notes on The Parochial History of Brixworth, p.441-8 (unchecked) (Series). SNN105091.

Record last edited

Apr 6 2017 2:14PM