Monument record 3651 - Badsaddle

Site of of deserted medieval settlement. The settlement appears to have been small and the earthworks visible in mid-20th century aerial photographs have been almost entirely obliterated by modern ploughing.

{2} The settlement is not directly mentioned in the Domesday Book, but early sources agree that it was a very small settlement: in 1285 it was stated that Badsaddle, Wythmail and Orlingbury should be represented as a single vill. However it was separately recorded in the Nomina Villarum of 1316.
In 1303 an extent of Badsaddle Manor only lists one capital messuage, one watermill and certain customary work. The lands of the manor seem to have been abandoned by the C16th as in 1571 they were described as having long been common or pasture. By 1720 Bridges recorded only 'a lone house….formerly surrounded with a moat now filled up.' However, on the enclosure map of Orlingbury of 1811 part of the moat is shown as an L-shaped pond, still surviving on the west part of the north side of Badsaddle Lodge.
The remains of the settlement have been almost completely obliterated by modern ploughing. Air photos support the evidence that Badsaddle was always very small, perhaps never more than the present farm and two or three houses.
A hollow way visible as an earthwork north of the farm and as a cropmark elsewhere crossed the site from east to west. To the north of the hollow way, a rectangular embanked enclosure with a large irregular hole in the centre which in 1947 was drained by a modern ditch. South of the hollow way there was another larger enclosure. At the western end there were indications of building platforms. These still survive as slightly raised areas covered with stone rubble and small amounts of 13th and 14th century pottery. To the west of the house were at least two, or possibly three, ponds of trapezoidal shape, lying in the bottow of a shallow valley. These were fed by a narrow inlet channel running out of the north west corner of Badsaddle Wood, and were possibly fishponds or perhaps millponds connected with the mill. The farm buildings were surrounded by uneven and ill-defined earthworks which may be the result of the infilling of the moat recorded by Bridges in the early 18th century.

{7} The site of the DMV of Badsaddle at SP 832730, was in very good condition in 1962. The village was rated at 2 ploughs in 1220 and in 1392 it consisted of 20a meadow 200a pasture, and 20a wood, no arable land or tenants mentioned.
It reverted to common land for Orlingbury and in 1547 there were 200 sheep there. In 1720 there was one house with a filled-in moat.

{9} Visible at SP 832730.

{10} Most of the earthworks visible on Aps have been ploughed, the exception being the two fishponds northwest of the house. The southerly is completely filled and the other partly so.
Obviously never more than a hamlet, its few houses stood north and east of the present house and their sites are visible as raised stone scatters with a little pottery.

<1> HYLTON T.; MASTERS P., 1998, Empingham to Hannington Anglian Water Pipeline, Northamptonshire Section, Archaeological Evaluation: Stage 1, (checked) (Report). SNN63049.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.119 site 6 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<3> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, pp.327,340,382 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

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

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.120 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<6> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, pp.204-6 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<7> Allison K.J.; Beresford M.W.; Hurst J.G. et al, 1966, The Deserted Villages of Northamptonshire, p.35 (unchecked) (Report). SNN39628.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP87SW8 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<9> Aerial Photograph, AP CPI/UK/1925 2361-2 (16.1.47) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<10> Seaman, BH, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 BHS 07-OCT-1969 (Notes). SNN111907.

Record last edited

May 23 2024 9:35AM