Monument record 1742 - West Cotton (aka Wilwencotes)

Deserted settlement features in the area have been excavated. Saxon occupation debris and a Late Saxon wooden construction have been revealed. Stone buildings later replaced the wooden structures. Manorial ranges gave way to further construction and the growth of the hamlet which was known as West Cotton. [Unless easily placed within a phase, most of the finds have been added to this record]

{2} Earthwork plan surveyed by G. Foard and D. Windell 1983. Four groups of buildings defined, set around a central green. A road runs south-east to the existing lane. Possible courtyard farm adjacent to the lane. Possible second tenement.

{4} West Cotton (also known as Wilwencotes), can be identified as existing in the early C12th although not specifically named until 1314. From the remains it would seem that the settlement never consisted of more than two or three farmsteads or cottages. In 1798 some old enclosures lying within the existing common fields are known as Cotton Closes. The lane to the south along the parish boundary between Stanwick and Raunds is known as West Cotton Road.

{5/6/10/21} There was a DMV at Wilwyncotes, also called West Cotton which was the third of Bridges' "there inclosed innships, or demolished hamlets" called Cotton it was extant from the 12th-15thc, and perhaps in 1559 - the village last heard of in 1413, when it passed to Richard Chamberleyn.
Siting Wilwyncotes was also known as West Cotton and was in Raunds in 1317 it is called Westcotes iuxta Raunds AP's suggests a site near the river at SP 975725, and the derivation of "Wilwyncotes", "cottages by the willows" is fitting for a site in such a position.

{7} Placename: Cottages by the Willows.

{8} Field name: Cotton Close/Meadow/Spinney.

{9} Fieldwalking over West Cotton deserted medieval hamlet revealed an early middle Saxon pottery scatter over an area of 2.3ha, divided by a palaeochannel - filled entire field. Late Saxon and medieval pottery distributions are concentrated in the centre of the field with an absence of material to the north. Trenches in the eastern half of the field did not identify any features containing medieval pottery despite dense surface scatter - suggesting that settlement was confined to a strip close to the lane. Virtual absense of late medieval material suggests this part of settlement was not occupied by 14th century.
Hamlet comprised a formal layout of regular rectangular plots bounded by dtiches and set within a near square area of 2,4 hectares. Village plan was generally linear with sharply angled dog-leg at the south-east corner of main settlement area.

{10} Westcotes Juxta Raunds.

{11} Analysis of pottery from West Cotton DMV - thin sectioned and inclusions analysed. Work carried out by David Hall.

{12} Phasing of occupation within the hamlet of West Cotton.

{14} [Under Cotton, Mill] A third manor, West Cotton or Wylwencotes, has not been located.

{15} The deserted medieval settlement of West Cotton lies at the eastern edge of the floodplain of the River Nene towards the south-western end of Raunds Parish. Evidence for the settlement comes from various historical sources but its exact location was unrecognised until the 1960s. This was finally established by field survey and documentary research. The settlement comprised slight but well preserved earthworks which were clearly defined as Cotton meadow and Cotton Closes in the 1789 Raunds Inclosure Map. The earthworks were also surveyed by the RCHME in the early 1970s.
West Cotton was also known as Little Cotes in Duchy of Lancaster records, and as Wilwencotes in documents associated with the Clare/Gloucester fee. This manor can be equated with the half hide held by Frumbold de Denford in the Northamptonshire Survey of the mid C12th. By the 1230s this family had been replaced at West Cotton by the Normanville family. [More information on the manorial holding is given.] Desertion is likely to have occurred in the later C14th on the basis of the archaeological evidence, but is otherwise undocumented. Manorial documents refer to a cottage at West Cotton in 1520 and in 1552-3, but by 1603 it is clearly described as an unoccupied close.
The central core of settlement lying to the west of Cotton Lane, had never been ploughed and was thus well preserved apart from some robbing of the main building walls.
Fig.6.13 shows the geographical/topographical relationship between West Cotton and nearby Mallows Cotton.
The formation of West Cotton is dated to the C10th and appears to have comprised a formal layout of regular rectangular plots bounded by ditches within an almost square area of some 2.4ha to the west of Cotton Lane. The plot layout is most regular to the west and north where the individual plots are bounded by the western and northern mill leats. To the north-east the plots are less regular but this may be the result of the need to respect the natural boundary marked by the northern stream channel. It is also notable that the alignment of Cotton Lane has a sharply angled dog-leg at the south-east corner of the main settlement area. The reason for this is unknown, but may derive from the realignment of a pre-existing road to respect the planned layout of the new settlement.
Whether the late Saxon settlement also extended to the east of Cotton Lane is unknown. Geophysical surveys have indicated the presence of ditches in this area, which may denote other plots.
By the mid C12th the late Saxon timber buildings on the site had been replaced by stone buildings more or less at the same location, however the Saxon watermill was abandoned.
A major reorganisation of the settlement had occurred by the mid C13th. The boundary ditches were backfilled and the original manor buildings were levelled and replaced by two peasant tenements. To the east a completely new complex of ancillary buildings probably served a new manor house still further east within the unexcavated area adjacent to Cotton Lane. Such a relocation may have arisen as a result of the earlier abandonment of the watermill and silting of the adjacent water channel, the focus of settlement subsequently turning eastward. Further new tenements also appeared to the south. The main ranges within the central area fronted onto the central open yard at the western end of the access road. Walled yards lay behind the frontages and a malt house lay at the rear of these yards within each tenement; open plots or crofts lay beyond.
By the beginning of the C14th the service buildings of the new manor had been partially rebuilt and converted to domestic ranges, indicating the sub-division of the former manor buildings into two or three peasant tenements. In addition perhaps all but one of the malt houses was abandoned at about the same time. With the final desertion of the manor rhe settlement then formed a hamlet of about seven tenements within the area to the west of Cotton Lane. The loss of the barn and malt houses shows a co-incident decline in the agriculturally based industries.
At least one building range appears to have fronted onto the east side of Cotton Lane at this time, as indicated by find scatters, geophysics and trial trenches. A substantial building with a walled rear yard was found to the south of the junction of the lane with the Raunds Brook. It's function is unknown, but the locations suggests a medieval watermill, and such would provide a context for the early C15th documentary reference to a mill at West Cotton.
Prior to desertion it is clear that the central yard was subject to periodic flooding, and it appears that even the cutting of drainage in this area failed to prevent abandonment.
The central tenements were deserted between c.1350 and c.1450. In some buildings the final use included the raising of floor levels with rubble. This and the absence of internal features suggests their use as byres or some other agricultural use.
The two tenements fronting Cotton Lane remain unexcavated, but both survive as well-defined earthworks that have probably suffered less stone robbing than the central tenements, possibly indicating that they were the last to be deserted. Documents indicate that at least one (as yet unidentified) cottage remained occupied until the later C16th. Following desertion the settlement was used for pasture closes with at least one walled enclosure, possibly the pen pound referred to in the late C18th.

{16} Detailed report with plans etc.

{?} Hamlet of West Cotton (also known as Little Cotes and Wilwencotes) was formed in the 10th century although there is evidence of Early Saxon remains. The name of all three Cottons probably derives from the presence of low status cottages who were associated with the small manors. The hamlet had several phases of development including a Saxon defended timber hall, a stone medieval manor house, several developments of tenements until it was deserted between 1350 and 1400. There is some indication that the tenement buildings were converted into agricultural use at a later date.

{17} Organic residue analysis of the medieval pottery assemblage from West Cotton, Raunds. The two main pottery forms found at the site were highly specialised, with bowls (or cantels) likely being used as measures in grain processing, while jars were mainly employed for cooking stews and potages consisting of sheep or cattle carcass meats and, occasionally, leafy vegetables, such as cabbages and leeks. The jugs and pitchers did not contain any lipid residues suggesting they were used solely for holding water or some other aqueous liquid. Less commonly used vessels also appear to have had specialised uses, including spouted bowls, likely employed to render fat or clarify butter and an inturned-rim bowl, used for the mixing of tallow and beeswax, possibly for use as an illuminant, sealant or lubricant.

{22} Limestone wall footing at SP 97677243 revealed by pipe trench; pits and ditches extended thence to SP97757254; sherds of 12th early 14thc. Possibly part of West Cotton or Wylwencotes.

{23} The indicated area is under pasture, there is some disturbance but no surveyable remains of desertion were seen.

{24} West Cotton was excavated by the NAU between 1985 and 1989 in advance of road construction and quarry development. Excavation revealed a multi-period site including a complex of prehistoric ritual features. [see other HER records for prehistoric monuments]

Early Saxon occupation included sunken features containing early Saxon pottery, a spindle-whorl and a fragment of loom weight. There is also evidence for a structure of early Saxon date on the top of the denuded surface of the long mound. This feature contained pottery, a decorated bone spindle-whorl, a ceramic spindle-whorl and fragments of a clay loom-weight. Pottery scatters have been identified to the east of the site it has thus been postulated that this part of the area was peripheral to the main occupation concentration in the early Saxon period which was located in north Raunds. [See SP 97 SE 45].

The Late Saxon and Norman Manors.

Towards the end of the middle Saxon period a new layout was developed over the agricultural levels, this new layout incorporated a mid-Saxon field boundary. Rectangular plots were defined by parallel ditches running from the main palaeochannel to the Cotton Brook, this system included a track way. A leat system diverted the stream into a pond from which another leat fed water to a mill. In the northern area a couple of timber buildings were constructed. Dating for these is unclear but it seems likely that the primary late Saxon deposists are late 9th to early 10th century.

The late Saxon "manor".
Wooden construction represented in the ground by substantial slots. At the eastern end of the building minor timber slots represent an external stair. A further range was divided into three square rooms the plan of which is very similar to that of the long range at Furnell's, North Raunds. [See SP 97 SE 79], thus suggesting an element of contemporaneity. In this phase also included was a trapezoidal building contained within a possible palisade. The whole building complex was contained within a bank and ditch enclosure thus enhancing the interpretation of a defended "manor" site. It was during this phase that the earliest mill was constructed beside the mill leat.

In the Saxo-Norman period the original building underwent considerable alteration. The hall and the north range remained but the trapezoidal building and palisade were demolished to create space for an open courtyard. A new range was constructed over one arm of the enclosure ditch and another substantial ditch was dug. An earth cut malting oven outside one entrance contained amass of carbonized ceral grains amid the collapsed remains of clay and wattle superstructure. The building complex was arranged around a courtyard during this phase.

In the 12th century the wooden structure of earlier "manors" gradually became replaced by stone buildings. The complex was still located around a courtyard, although now gravel surfaced and by this time the north range had been demolished and rebuilt on the south side. The complex also included a garderobe, a bakehouse, dovecote, malthouse and a possible timber granary. The third watermill and the stone footings to the west which have been interpreted as a small bridge abutment, are assumed to be contemporary with the 12th century stone buildings.

All three mills produced pieces of broken millstones occuring either in backfills or in the leat revetments. The majority were of millstone grit, a few were of finer grained sandstone and some of the earlier fragments were of lava millstones. Preliminary analysis suggests typical stone diameters of around 0.9m to 1.1m.

By the mid 13th century the manorial ranges and the mill had been demolished and the whole area given over to series of tenements forming a hamlet situated around a green, based upon the trackway of the manorial complex. West Cotton was one of three deserted medieval settlements in the valley of the River Nene near to Raunds. Of the other two, most of Mill Cotton was destroyed by gravel extraction in the 1970's, while the largest Mallows Cotton survives as well preserved earthworks.

The excavated tenements. In its final form the hamlet seems to have consisted of five major tenements. The buildings upon excavation were found to be in a good state of preservation. The quantities of stone rubble suggest that most structures has stone walls and the lack of any ceramic or stone tiles suggests that all buildings had thatched roofs. Upper chambers above some roofs were evidenced by two stone stair bases and others may have been served by wooden ladders or stairways. Because internal features were well preserved dit has been possible to attribute function to many rooms. The most noticeable being kitchens in several of the tenements which were provided with central hearths or small ovens and stone built benches. The presence of kitchens in some of the tenements and not in others has led to the of shared facilities, while the four main tenements contained malthouses only two had bakehouses, and none occur in the later phases. It is possible that all tenements shared a single bakehouse in the latest phase and that it was situated outside the excavation area. Features and finds throughout the tenements suggest a commercial orientation of agriculture in the village.

Walled yard lay immediately behind the ranges, with open areas beyound, which were apparently used for horticulture or as paddocks and were bounded by banks or walls. In there final forms the excavated tenements appear to represent five separately tenanted holdings but it is possible that originally the hamlet was organised differently. The excavated tenements appear to have been deserted between 1400 and 1500, as indicated by the dating of pottery in the final phases.

<1> HALL D.N., 1972 circa, Earthwork Survey, Raunds, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN54621.

<2> FOARD G.; WINDELL D., 1983, Unpublished Earthwork Plan, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN59106.

<3> Wellingborough & District Archaeological Society, Wellingborough & District Archaeological Society Records, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN59105.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.81-83 Site 20 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.190 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<6> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.33-34+42 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP97SE6 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<8> 1798, Raunds Enclosure Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN5429.

<9> Parry S., 1993, Raunds Area Survey Report, p.85-97 (unchecked) (Draft). SNN1175.

<10> Gover J.E.B.; Mawer A.; Stenton F.M. (Eds.), 1933, The Place-names of Northamptonshire, p.194-95 (unchecked) (Series). SNN5881.

<11> Dix B. (editor), 1986-7, The Raunds Area Project: Second Interim Report, p25-26 (Article). SNN76070.

<12> FOARD G.R.; PEARSON T., 1985, The Raunds Area Project: First Interim Report, p7 (Checked) (Article). SNN69970.

<14> Allison K.J.; Beresford M.W.; Hurst J.G. et al, 1966, The Deserted Villages of Northamptonshire, p.38 (checked) (Report). SNN39628.

<15> Parry S. et al, 2006, Raunds Area Survey: An Archaeological Study of The Landscape of Raunds, Northamptonshire 1985-94, p.172-77 (part checked) (Book). SNN105780.

<16> Chapman A., 2011, West Cotton, Raunds: A Study of Medieval Settlement Dynamics AD450 - 1450 (Excavation of a Deserted Medieval Hamlet in Northamptonshire, 1985-89), (unchecked) (Book). SNN107508.

<17> Dunne, J, Chapman, A, Blinkhorn, P & Evershed, R P, 2020, Fit for purpose? Organic residue analysis and vessel specialisation: The perfectly utilitarian medieval pottery assemblage from West Cotton, Raunds (Article). SNN111986.

<18> Masters, P, 1991, A preliminary report of geophysical survey at Weston Cotton, Northants, September 1991 (Report). SNN112870.

<19> McKerracher, M, 2022, Radiocarbon dating archaeobotanical remains from West Cotton, Raunds (Digital archive). SNN115668.

<20> Dunne, J, Chapman, A, Blinkhorn, P & Evershed, R P, 2019, Reconciling organic residue analysis, faunal, archaeobotanical and historical records: Diet and the medieval peasant at West Cotton, Raunds, Northamptonshire (Article). SNN115948.

<21> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, RAF CPE/UK/1925 3256-7, 3339-40; 541/602 4166-7 (Photographs). SNN104890.

<22> Brown A.E. (Ed.), 1967, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1966/67 (Medieval), P. 28 (Article). SNN26725.

<23> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, 26-NOV-69 (Note). SNN111452.

<24> Windell D.; Chapman A.; Woodiwiss J., 1990, From Barrows to Bypass: Excavations at West Cotton, Raunds, Northamptonshire, 1985-1989 (Report). SNN62621.

<25> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890476 (Archive). SNN113295.

<26> Historic England, Medieval Village Research Group Archive - measured drawings (Archive). SNN114857.

Record last edited

Jan 31 2025 3:09PM