Monument record 4147 - Cotes (aka Cotton)

Deserted medieval village of Cotes at Gretton. First mentioned in 1225. Medieval descriptions suggest that it may have not been much more than a substantial, isolated farmstead. A hospital, dedicated to St Leonard, was extant here during the 13th and 14th centuries. Fragmentary scarps and terraces north and south of the modern road survive though less than 1 m. in height. Fieldwalking survey has identified stone scatters, pottery of 12th to 14th century date together with Lyveden roof tiles and stone roof slates.

{1} Deserted medieval village of Cotes at Gretton. First recorded in 1225; also in Nomina Villarum in 1316. In 1362 'A messuage & 60 acres of arable land & 20 acres of meaodw & 20 acres of pasture in Coten by Rockingham'. Deserted between 1350 & 1450. By 1567 was enclosed pasture. By 1587 there was only one house and by 1615 the house had been removed and there was a 20 acre field with small closes (Cotton Closes) on the site. In 1806 the boundary of Cotton lordship was defined; this area is perhaps the original land of the medieval farmstead. By 1720 a new house had been built to the north of the earlier site. This was demolished in the 19th century. Fragmentary scarps and terraces north and south of the modern road survive though less than 1 m in height. Those to the south have produced C12/14th pottery and rubble. North of the road stone and brick rubble with C18 and C19th pottery lie on the site of the later house. RCHM plan.

{3} Manor consisted in 1290 of 1 messuage with 70 acres arable, 10 acres meadow and rents of £1 0s 8d. In 1355 described as 1 messuage, 160 acres arable, 20 acres meadow and 20 acres pasture. "Cotton Meadow" mentioned in 1569. Several wells near railway may indicate site.

{4} Medieval leper hospital at the deserted hamlet of Cotes at Gretton; dedicated to St Leonard; extant between 1229 & 1300; dependent on Peterborough Abbey;

{5} (SP 877926). Previous references had sited the DMV at (SP 890926), this has been proven to be incorrect. Fieldwalking survey recovered medieval pottery from the deserted hamlet.

{7} The name suggests a secondary settlement, presumably from Gretton. Mentioned in a perambulation of the Forest of Rutland of 1269: 'The perambulation of the forest of Rutland begins at that place where the old course of the Little Eyre flows into the Welland opposite Cotton'. A description of 1362 where it appears as 'a messuage, 60 acres of (arable) land, 20 acres of meadow and 20 acres of pasture in Coten by Rockingham', from which would appear the place was not much more than a substantial isolated farm, the boundaries of its territory on the south suggesting assarting out of Rockingham Forest perhaps in the 13th century. The site consists of two ploughed down terraces and a stone scatter adjoining a dried up stream bed at SP876926; the terraces correspond in part to close boundaries on the 1615 map. It occupies some 0.4ha. Surface examination has produced pottery of 12th to 14th centuries consisting mainly of Stamford and Lyveden shelly wares and decorated jugs together with Lyveden roof tiles and stone roof slates. North of the road were abundant sherds of the 18th and 19th centuries. A few Roman sherds might be strays from the site at SP 876922.

{9} Evaluation of the site had revealed an archaeological horizon containing medieval pottery, and geophysical survey and cropmarks suggested that there might be a deserted medieval village in this location, but no evidence for this was found within the pipeline easement.

{12} (SP 877925) Cotton, N & W non-existant.

{13} (SP 876924) Cottons, "There was an old hamlet of this name in this locality, traces of which are to be seen".

{16} Centred SP 875925 three fields whose names include 'Cotton'. All are arable and under crop. Surface variations close to the road possibly mark the site of former habitation, whilst adjacent fields exhibit traces of rig and furrow.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.59/Site 8 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP89SE7 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<3> Allison K.J.; Beresford M.W.; Hurst J.G. et al, 1966, The Deserted Villages of Northamptonshire, p.37 (unchecked) (Report). SNN39628.

<4> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, (unchecked) (Book). SNN10192.

<5> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1973, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1972, 8/21 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN8956.

<6> The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.154 (unchecked) (Series). SNN10247.

<7> BROWN A.E.; TAYLOR C.C., 1974, The Earthworks of Rockingham and its Neighbourhood, 9/77+79 (unchecked) (Article). SNN40063.

<8> HYLTON T.; MASTERS P., 1998, Empingham to Hannington Anglian Water Pipeline, Northamptonshire Section, Archaeological Evaluation: Stage 1, (unchecked) (Report). SNN63049.

<9> Carlyle S. Clarke, J. and Chapman, A., 2017, Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlement along the Empingham to Hannington Pipeline in Northamptonshire and Rutland, p. 49 (Monograph). SNN110605.

<10> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<11> Dyer C. (editor), 1973, Medieval Village Research Group (Vol.20/21), p. 6 (Annual Report). SNN60223.

<12> 1828, Gretton Ph map 1828 (Sketch c 2" - 1 mile) (Map). SNN116470.

<13> 1932, Gretton Parish Field Names Map (NRO) (Map). SNN116469.

<14> 1615, Map of Rockingham 1615 (Map). SNN100477.

<15> 1806, Map of Rockingham (Map). SNN113085.

<16> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 BHS 10-JUL-1970 (Notes). SNN111541.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2025 2:57PM