NORTHERN ARCHAEOLOGY TODAY YORK ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST MAGAZINE
This issue:
Thirlstane Romans in Ravenglass Howden Minster Toton
Issue 7
C
ontents
issue 7 July 2015
Welcome! The summer is here and with it another issue of Northern Archaeology Today.
Thirlstane Cairn
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Romans at Ravenglass 7 Howden
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Toton 19
In this issue we report on a number of communityled projects throughout our area, from the study and reconstruction of an enigmatic boundary cairn in West Lothian to the excavation of a manor house and mill at Toton, Nottingham. We also look at geophysics and building recording work on a group of buildings associated with Howden Minster in East Yorkshire. The Romans also get a look-in with a report on the geophysical survey and excavation at the fort and vicus of Ravenglass on the Cumbrian coast.
Editor: Peter Connelly Layout and design: Lesley Collett (lcollettgraphics@gmail.com) Printed by B&B Press, Parkgate, Rotherham Northern Archaeology Today is published twice a year: UK subscriptions £10.00 per year, Overseas subscriptions £14.00 (sterling) per year. To subscribe please send a cheque (payable to York Archaeological Trust) to: York Archaeological Trust, 47 Aldwark, York, YO1 7BX or telephone 01904 663000 with credit card details. Northern Archaeology Today is published by York Archaeological Trust. Editorial and contributors’ views are independent and do not necessarily reflect the official view of the Trust. Copyright of all original YAT material reserved: reproduction by prior editorial permission only.
© York Archaeological Trust 2015 Cover picture: The ‘reimagined’ reconstructed
York Archaeological Trust is a Registered Charity In England & Wales (No.509060)
Thirlstane cairn (Northlight Heritage)
and Scotland (SCO42846) and a company limited by guarantee without share capital in England, number 1430801
ISSN: 2049-5897
The demolished cairn at the start of the dig (FCS)
Thirlstane Cairn Reconstruction Project, West Lothian, Scotland The opportunity to reconstruct a monument was presented to Northlight Heritage by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) in the spring of 2015. Numerous tumbled stones, emerging from the heather within a forestry clearing, were once part of the ‘Thirl Stane’ boundary cairn separating the parishes of West Calder and Carnwath, as seen on the 1st edition OS map surveyed in 1859. Several of these stones were carved with initials, names and dates, which locals suggested is linked to a story that couples may have carved the stones when they were married. There are two written descriptions of the appearance of the cairn. The OS Name Book refers to it in the mid-19th century as ‘a perpendicular stone about 5½ feet high, round which there are smaller stones piled’ and the Royal Commission suggest it was a ‘frustum of a cone 8 feet (2.4m) high’ (see Site NS95NE 65,
Dr Heather James, Northlight Heritage RCAHMS 1994). The cairn was not seen by the Royal Commission in 1994 as it was inaccessible in dense forestry at the time, however, a local farmer who managed sheep on this land until the 1940s described it as a ‘pile of stones’. Research into the place name has shown that the word ‘thirl’ means ‘to bind’ or ‘pierce’ in Scots and may relate to a pierced stone or perhaps where agreements were ‘bound’. A local forester, Emma Stewart, had known about the site since 2000 and was curious about what it meant. She had looked at the site with local folk in the past and had always wanted the chance to investigate it further. In 2014 Emma was asked to ensure that the site was protected during an upcoming upgrade of the nearby forest road. A meeting with Jeff Sanders of the Dig It! 2015 Project encouraged her to set up a community project and the two things came together. Emma then arranged northern archaeology today
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Facing page: Location of the Thirlstane, West Calder, West Lothian. Above: Plan showing all the visible carved stones before the excavation started
for an archaeological project to be funded by FCS which would investigate the site of the collapsed cairn, look for evidence to date the monument, record the carved stones and undertake a reconstruction. Northlight Heritage enlisted the help of the local community, amateur archaeologists and university students via posters in the local villages, word of mouth, social media and a national information hub – the Dig It! 2015 website. The remains of the cairn were located in a small clearing in the forest, on a sandstone outcrop which formed a high point along a ridge called Hendrys Corse. This ridge, aligned roughly east–west, was followed by the parish boundary and at some time in the past the cairn also marked the boundary between three properties. Two quarry scoops had been cut into
the sandstone on either side of the cairn which had the result of emphasising the height of the cairn location. Two 1m wide trenches were excavated across what was thought to be the centre of the cairn. The bedrock was, surprisingly, found only 0.1m below the surface. Among the randomly placed stones was a rough setting of large stones that formed a ‘corner’. This may be all that remains of the supporting stones around a, now lost, standing stone. There was also a small circular pile of stones (Context 004) sitting on top of the vegetation a few metres south-east of the setting which is thought to have been placed there quite recently. The finds from the excavations were meagre, consisting of modern bottle glass, a single slate fragment and a ceramic bottle stopper from the upper soil layers. northern archaeology today
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Stone inscribed ‘W.Fairly 1852’
The carved stones, however, proved to be far more numerous than previously thought. A total of 55 inscribed stones, among the unmarked stones, were found over the six-day excavation. These stones ranged from large, roughly rectangular blocks to small flat stones of varying shape and the carvings ranged from roughly scratched initials to well-laid out, neatly inscribed names. The local sandstone was soft and prone to weathering and so some inscriptions were very faint, often only visible under certain light conditions. The recognisable dates ranged from 1852 to 1929 and the inscriptions incorporated single letters and some faces with numerous initials.
Alastair and Calum Hind make a wax rubbing of a stone inscribed ‘T Mcfadden 1902’
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Four stones are of particular interest. The earliest depicted ‘W Fairly 1852’ was set out within a rectangular border. This stone was found during the excavation on a particularly large boulder near the summit of the ridge. Emma Stewart consulted the 1841 census and found three William Fairlys, one who was aged 70, one aged 25 (both were living in West Calder at the time) and one aged three living in nearby Braehead. In another example ‘David Tweedie’ may be the David Tweedie who died in Levenseat in 1865 aged 89 (pers comm David Wilson, his great, great, great, great, grandson). A Thomas Stark, age 41, appears on the 1861 census living at Easter Longford. The fourth stone was scratched with ‘S Pillans’, and again Emma discovered a descendant of Steven Pillans, a geologist who marked the places where he had taken geological samples by carving his name there. This example could have been done in the 1970s or 80s as Steven died in 1988. A photographic catalogue has been created of all 55 carved stones. Font enthusiasts could spend time analysing the different letterforms used and this might also help with the dating of the stones. The most distinguishable examples include ‘JR’, ‘JP’, ‘RT’ and ‘JC’. It is interesting to note that some stones had carvings on two, or even three, sides, not all of which could have been visible at the same time. This suggests that the carvings continued after some stones had moved from their original positions. Several of the stones were found many metres away from the base of the ridge, farther than they would have laid to rest if the cairn had collapsed naturally. While there were a few long stones in the vicinity there were none 5 ft long and so it must be assumed that the original standing stone has been removed from the site or had been broken up. All this suggests that the cairn had been deliberately demolished and taking account of the visual description of the local farmer, this may have taken place since the 1940s. Perhaps a rumour went round that a bottle of whisky was buried beneath it?
Left: Using the snow to reveal the initials on a carved stone: Right: Artitsts’ oil used to make a colourful rubbing of the same stone
As well as the traditional techniques for recording the stones, the team was keen to try out some other more unusual methods. For example, it was hoped that wax rubbings of a few of the stones would provide a colourful record of the stone carvings and also a 1:1 tracing of the inscriptions. Unfortunately, the wet conditions and the roughness of the carvings meant that this was less successful than we had hoped. However, it was found that artists’ oil sticks were softer and worked better than traditional children’s wax crayons, producing images that stood out particularly well. A second technique involved 3D modelling of some of the stones using Agisoft PhotoScan software. This involved taking multiple overlapping photographs of the stones from all angles and then using the software to create a 3D pdf file which can be manipulated on screen giving the impression of a 3D model. After the site had been fully examined Master Drystone waller, Bruce Curtis, arrived to lead the reconstruction (or reimagining). The blocky nature of the available stones, the slightly sloping nature of the site and the need to show off as many of the inscriptions as possible, led Bruce to design a cairn with a rectangular footprint and a gentle batter towards the summit, which was formed of two
stones with a triangular profile. The volunteer team was taught methods of stone moving and lifting which soon had the cairn emerging from the rubble. A 3D model of the finished cairn was also produced using Agisoft PhotoScan. Conclusions It is likely that the monument was originally an upright ‘standing’ stone supported in a post setting with a cairn of boulders around its base as described in the OS Name Book. If the top of the standing stone broke or fell over then this may have given the cairn the appearance of ‘the frustum of a cone’ as it was once described. The other possibility is that following the collapse of, at least part, of the monument a second cairn was constructed. However, no evidence to support a rebuild of the cairn was found during the excavation. Unfortunately, the excavation did not provide any dating evidence for the construction of the cairn. Its collapsed nature and the intrusion of tree roots meant that no material suitable for radiocarbon dating was recovered. The finds from the excavation were very limited and found in or near the topsoil and so were of limited use. These were generally dated to the 19th or 20th centuries and were the result of the occasional visitors to the site. northern archaeology today
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The multiple inscriptions of varying quality and complexity reflect numerous visits over a period of time by people with a range of carving skills. There are likely to be several reasons why people visited this relatively remote site to make their mark, including love tokens, graffiti, and marking of a geological sampling spot. Perhaps the sense of remoteness is a modern creation, as the two quarry scoops into the sandstone outcrop indicate the presence of quarrymen, the area to the west was until recently an opencast coal mine and an old drove road crossed the parish boundary just over a mile to the west. Parallels for the carving of numerous initials, such as these, can be found at the Kings Caves, Arran and in the Wemyss Caves in Fife. The carving of initials is perhaps more common on trees, but until the work of Forestry Commission Scotland there would have been no woods in this vicinity. Further research into place-names, local property boundaries, local families, travellers and the practice of carving initials and names is taking place in the local community and will make an extremely interesting contribution to the social history of the area.
Thirlstane reimagined Stone with multiple carvings, possibly re-used as a fence post support
The author would like to thank Emma Stewart (FCS) for her great assistance with this project and her enthusiastic local research which is paying great dividends already. Also thanks are due to Bruce Curtis who worked with the volunteers with skill and professionalism to enable a new monument to emerge from the ruins. Thanks also Peta Glew who directed the excavations, to all the volunteers and to the Edinburgh University students in particular, who braved the fresh spring conditions with good humour and dedication without which this project would not have been possible. (All photos are Northlight Heritage unless stated otherwise)
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Romans in Ravenglass Kurt Hunter-Mann, working with ArcHeritage Ravenglass is situated on the Cumbrian coast, within the Lake District National Park . Now a picturesque village, it would have been a much busier place during the Roman period. The well-preserved remains of a Roman bath-house, standing over two metres high in places, are still present, and evidence of the related auxiliary fort was identified to the south of the village in the middle of the 19th century, during the construction of the Barrow to Carlisle railway line. After the middle of the 20th century it was acknowledged that the part of the fort on the seaward side of the railway had been suffering from coastal erosion and in reaction to this a ‘rescue’ excavation was carried out in the 1970s. These excavations unearthed barrack blocks and showed that the fort had replaced an earlier Hadrianic watch tower around AD130 and remained in use until at least the end of the Roman period. The site is now a Scheduled Monument.
Ravenglass location map
Although civilian settlements, or vici, often developed adjacent to such forts, at Ravenglass very little evidence for such a settlement, lining Standing remains of the Roman bath-house at Ravenglass
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The team at work on the excavation
Two of the team engaged in site planning
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a possible coastal road to the north, had ever been found. In addition, there is still a lack of evidence to support speculation that there had been an important port here in Roman times, although Ravenglass had been a port of note in the medieval period. Understanding of the civilian settlement within the environs of the fort was given a welcome boost as a result of a geophysical
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survey carried out by Birgit Kaspar of the University of Birmingham in 2011, which produced evidence for a vicus to the east of the fort. The local parish council at Muncaster were sufficiently encouraged by these results to organise a community project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Lake District National Park Authority and Copeland District Council, to investigate these remains. ArcHeritage was commissioned to carry out the fieldwork and provide training for this community project, which took place during the Autumns of 2013 and 2014. Staff from across the whole of YAT contributed to the project. During the two seasons over 100 volunteers, mostly locals, were taught excavation, site recording, finds processing, environmental sampling, geophysical survey and fieldwalking skills. Groups from several primary schools and the local Young Archaeologists Club also participated in the project. The site was also open to visitors throughout the excavation phases, with additional outreach programmes in place on several open days. The interpretation programme was led by Minerva Heritage.
Geophysics and Fieldwalking Some 35 hectares were subjected to magnetometry survey by GSB Prospection Ltd in the first year, extending the 2010 survey to the north, east and south of the fort as well as encapsulating the internal area of the fort and an area around the remains of the bath-house. In addition, around 5 hectares of resistivity survey was carried out to provide further data for the fort, bath-house and most of the original survey area. These two surveys proved to be hugely informative. They confirmed and enhanced the original geophysical evidence for the vicus on the eastern side of the fort, including a roadside settlement lining an eastern branch off the postulated north coastal road. This branch road continued beyond the settlement and presumably formed the main route to Ambleside via Hardknott fort. No evidence for a vicus was found in the area south of the fort, which was not surprising as a steep valley in that vicinity would have prevented easy access to the area via the south gate. The geophysical survey within the fort indicated that the archaeological features there were well preserved, revealing what appear to be large barrack blocks, probably for cavalry, suggesting that the unit stationed there had up to a 120strong cavalry component in addition to the typical infantry cohort of 480 troops. In addition to the geophysical survey, walkover survey was also carried out and this included earthwork survey, recording of coastal erosion and investigating possible quarrying and mining sites on the hills overlooking the site. Excavations The three main excavation trenches targeted features identified during the 2010 geophysical survey. The excavation results were astounding, as the Roman deposits were revealed to be much more substantial and the quantities of finds considerably greater than expected. Trench 1 was located over the possible road to Ambleside. This confirmed the presence of the road, although at around 20m wide it seems to have been as much an open space
Geophysics plot with trench locations
within the vicus. The road/space had a surface layer of gravel, exhibiting evidence for several episodes of repair. Beneath this surface was a series of layers of cobbles and industrial debris, primarily iron slag; this seems to have formed a bedding for the road at least 0.5m thick. Along one side of the road were the stone foundations for a timber-framed building lying with its long axis parallel to the road – different from the industrial/commercial ‘strip buildings’ typical of vici. The foundations for this building were mostly built of massive Eskdale Granite boulders, perhaps to provide a considerable stable base for the building (it may overlie a large ditch or pit according to the geophysical evidence), perhaps also to support an upper storey. The building was also constructed over a series of dumps, including much metal-working debris, presumably to form a solid, dry surface to found the building on. northern archaeology today
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Eskdale Granite boulder foundation in Trench 1
Areas of burning and cobbling in Trench 2
Trenches 2 and 3 were intended to investigate the area immediately east of the fort. Both trenches produced considerable evidence for industrial activity. In Trench 2, layers of intense burning, metal-working debris and cobble surfaces associated with post-holes, pointed to
prolonged industrial activity taking place in open-sided buildings. In one area the lower part of an amphora was found set into the ground, presumably to contain water as part of some industrial process. Trench 2 was located on a slope, with the industrial activity at the higher south end and alluvial deposits intersected by drains at the low-lying north end; a series of cobbled paths and a stone wall marked the transition between the two areas. Located further upslope was Trench 3, where the stone foundations of a large timber-framed building were revealed. It is thought that this building had a primarily domestic function, as there was a hearth or oven within it but metal-working debris was absent. Together the excavation and geophysical evidence indicate that this
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Building foundations in Trench 3
structure was a strip building, perpendicular to a road that exited the east gate of the fort. This road probably continued beyond the settlement and then turned south to form the main south coastal road, thereby avoiding the steep valley on the south side of the fort. Conclusions The wide range of finds points to a fairly affluent community attached to the fort, with pottery and other goods being imported from across Britain and the wider Roman Empire. The parts of the vicus the team excavated appear to date from around the middle of the 2nd century to the end of the 3rd century AD. The metal-working debris indicates that ironsmithing was a major activity here. The success of the two seasons of community fieldwork revealed that within what now appears to have been a large civilian settlement of 6 hectares or more, there are hints of zones of activity. Several, possibly commercial, plots and structures may have lined the main roads to the north, north-east and south-east of the fort, with industrial activity close to the east side of the fort. Previous finds suggest public buildings lie north of the fort; and the continuation of the vicus to the west, overlooking the sea, could
mark the position of a port component. The natural topography appears to have had a strong influence on the layout of the settlement as streams flowing down from the fells to the east formed an incised landscape and the settlement favoured the higher ground between the streams, although the industrial activity (and the bath-house) lay close to the water supplies. Furthermore, the fort was provided with a fine defensive position, with only the east side not defended by the natural topography. The 2013–14 fieldwork produced far better results than could possibly have been hoped for, and has raised as many questions as it has answered. There is tremendous scope for further research on a site that has been hitherto overlooked and should be compared to many sites in the Hadrian’s Wall frontier zone. Two short films of each season are available on the LDNPA website (http://www.lakedistrict. gov.uk/aboutus/news/projects/rir).
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Community Archaeology in Howden, East Riding of Yorkshire Jayne Rimmer and Jon Kenny, York Archaeological Trust
On the last weekend of September 2014, Jayne Rimmer and Jon Kenny, along with an enthusiastic group of community volunteers, carried out a programme of targeted building recording and geophysical survey in the grounds of Howden Minster. The project was organised by York Archaeological Trust, The Victoria County History (VCH) and Howden Minster, and was funded by the Victoria County History Trust. It was designed in partnership with Professors David Crouch and John Marriott of the University of Hull, who are currently working on the new VCH Yorkshire East Riding volume on Howden and Howdenshire. The aim of the fieldwork was to involve the community in the research for the new volume, as well as to complement and extend David and John’s documentary-based investigations into the development of Howden Minster. The WEA course participants at The Courtyard, Goole
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The Team The community group largely comprised local residents from the Goole and Howden area who took part in a Workers’ Educational Association course taught by Jayne and Jon in the summer of 2014. This eight-week introduction to archaeology course was held in Goole and combined classroom-based lectures with practical activities in excavation, remote sensing, finds sorting and historic buildings. Intensive training workshops in geophysical survey, building analysis and recording were also held in Howden. The course participants were from a mixed background with varying degrees of experience. Many were interested in local history and archaeology; several members of the group were researching their family history and the history of their local area. A number were trained artists and some were
The community group practicing measured drawing in Howden
part-way through A-level and undergraduate courses in history and archaeology. The majority of the 18 participants who attended the course took part in the recording weekend in Howden. Targeted Research The building recording concentrated on two medieval walls that together form an inverted “L”-shape and are located on the south side of Howden Minster, between the graveyard and the Rectory. At the southern end of the walls is a medieval building known as the courthouse. At the junction between the courthouse and the Rectory is a medieval gateway which bears the arms of Cardinal Langley, Bishop of Durham 1406–1437. The community team set out to investigate the original function of the walls, the use of the building known as the courthouse and the relationship between these structures and Langley’s gateway. The geophysical survey was speculative and set out to explore a high point in the graveyard
in order to ascertain whether there was any evidence for earlier structures in this location. Medieval Howden Howden Minster was constructed in the late 13th century. There has been a church at Howden since the Anglo-Saxon period and in the early 11th century it was held by the Abbey of Peterborough, along with the manor of Howden. The church and the manor of Howden were granted to the Bishop of Durham in 1086–7. Shortly afterwards, the church was granted to the Prior and Monks of the Convent of the Cathedral Priory of Durham. In 1267, the Prior and Convent obtained permission to establish Howden as a collegiate church governed by a chapter of priests. The north and south transepts of the Minster, along with the choir, were constructed c. 1270, and the nave was begun in c. 1280. The church was wealthy and prosperous. The choir was re-built from c. 1300 onwards and the chapter house was constructed in 1380–1400. Howden’s link with Durham was of great importance to the development of the town across the medieval period. northern archaeology today
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The manor of Howden belonged, in the main, to the bishopric of Durham until 1836. It is probable that the bishops maintained a manor house in Howden from the 11th century onwards. Howden was a popular stopping place for the Prince Bishops en route between Durham and London and the bishop was often in residence for important festivals, such as Easter and Christmas. The surviving portion of the re-built late 14th century bishop’s manor house lies to the south-east of the Minster and includes parts of the hall, the doorways of the screens passage and the porch. Much of what survives was built by Bishop Skirlaw (1388– 1405). He died at Howden and his arms are mounted on the porch battlements. The Minster church went into decline after the dissolution of the college of priests in 1540. By 1575 the roof was in poor repair and much of it had collapsed by 1696. The parish managed to preserve the nave which remains in use today as Howden’s parish church.
Plan showing structures to the south of Howden Minster (After J. Bilson 1912, not to scale)
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The surviving medieval structures to the south of the Minster have been extensively modified. The bishop’s manor house was re-built in the 17th–18th centuries. The Rectory was constructed in 1863 and the two medieval walls, the building known as the courthouse and Langley’s gateway now form part of the Rectory grounds. These structures show signs of having been greatly modified in the 19th century, perhaps as part of the construction of the new Rectory. Building Recording Each of the walls, the courthouse and the gateway were examined and recorded by the community group using measured survey, written descriptions, sketch drawings and photographs. For ease of reference, the two medieval walls that form an inverted “L”-shape will be identified as Wall A (north–south part) and Wall B (east–west part).
The walls Wall A is a substantial stone wall constructed out of limestone ashlar with a gritstone plinth. Wall B is constructed out of ashlar at the western end only. The remainder of the wall is built out of 19th-century and later brick. The two walls are supported by large ashlar buttresses at the north and south ends. The inner face of Wall A is limestone rubble and the inner face of Wall B is 19th century brickwork. Coping stones sit directly on top of Wall A, although they are of a later date and not integral to the structure.
Wall A, west elevation
The northernmost section of Wall A has been substantially re-built. Two windows, now blocked up, were identified in this part of the wall, and may be later insertions. A blocked-up window was also present in the westernmost section of Wall B, along with a doorway. The doorway currently provides access to the Rectory grounds. Where these two walls met each other, traces of plaster and the remains of iron hooks were identified on the inner face. The courthouse, south elevation
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Gateway, south elevation. The courthouse is visible to the left and the Rectory to the right
The courthouse The building known as the courthouse is located at the southern end of Wall A. The stone plinth observed on the west elevation of Wall A is also visible on the south and east elevations of this structure. To the south elevation are two small medieval lancet windows and a string course at eaves height. The building appears to have been heavily re-built. A buttress has been removed from the south-east end of the building and replaced with brickwork. The north elevation is roughly constructed out of stone and brick and the windows on this elevation are of the same shape and design as the windows in the south face of the Rectory, suggesting that they are later additions. The roof of the courthouse building is a modern replacement. The gateway The gateway is an impressive structure constructed out of red brick with stone dressings. It butts up to the courthouse range 16
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and was built in the early 15th century. On the north elevation it bears the arms of Cardinal Langley, who was Bishop of Durham 1406–37. At the eastern end the brickwork has been truncated, suggesting that it was originally part of a larger structure that may well have continued in an easterly direction. The gateway is recessed on the southern side to receive doors and five of the six original iron door pintles still survive within the recesses. Preliminary Findings Two key pieces of documentary evidence identified by the community group assisted with the interpretation of these structures. The OS map of 1851 showed a long range identified as the “Manor Court House” to the south of the Minster Chapter House. Walls A and B would have formed the outer walls of this range. The range of buildings is also depicted in an engraving dated 1781–1850. Though this image should be used cautiously, many of the architectural details – such as the ashlar walls,
1851 OS map of Howden showing the “Manor Court House”. Original scale 1:1056, reproduced here at 1:2500. © Old Maps and Ordnance Survey, reproduced with permission
string course and lancet windows – can be identified in the extant structures. The building is shown as two-storey in height, which is also corroborated in the substantial nature of Wall A and the buttressing at the northern and southern ends. It is probable that the range was demolished to make way for the construction of the Rectory in 1863. The building known as the courthouse would have originally formed part of this range. Its name derives from the identification of the long range as the “Manor Court House”. However, the original function of the “Manor Court House” and its connection to the bishop’s manor is unclear. There is no knowledge of a court of law in this location. The identification of a lack of original window and doorway openings on the outer (western) elevation of Wall A suggests that the building was designed to face inwards towards the area now occupied
by the Rectory, and accessed from this side only. The size and shape of the building also suggests that it was designed to articulate with an inner courtyard. It is possible that the range may simply derive its name from its position with an open courtyard. Langley’s gateway, constructed in the early 15th century, may well have created a division along the length of the range and perhaps resulted in the division of the inner courtyard area into two separate spaces. Geophysical Survey The geophysical survey was carried out using a Geoscan RM15 earth resistance meter. The survey was undertaken over an area measuring 40mx40m, taking readings at 0.5m interval on a 1m traverse. The geophysical survey was very successful in demonstrating to the community group how to set up a grid and survey using northern archaeology today
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Engraving by W. Westall (c.1781–1850) showing the north–south and east–west ranges of buildings
earth resistance equipment. However, in terms of results, no features were located in the area surveyed. This does not mean that there are no early structures on the higher ground south of the Minster, rather that it demonstrates the depth of burial deposits accumulated at Howden, which is perhaps unsurprising given the size of the parish and the number of burials. The Future The community archaeology project in Howden provided the opportunity for the general public, professional archaeologists and academics to work together on research for the forthcoming VCH volume on Howden and Howdenshire. The close analysis of the standing structures and geophysical survey will contribute to the interpretation of the development of the landscape around Howden Minster across the medieval period. 18
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The community group remain in contact with each other via social media and some of the participants are looking into their own community archaeology projects in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Acknowledgements Jayne and Jon would like to thank the Victoria County History Trust, Matt Bristow, David Crouch, John Marriott and Revered James Little for their support with this project. Further Reading: D. Neave, 1979. Howden Explored: a guide to the town and its buildings. Georgian Society for East Yorkshire. For more information on the Victoria County History Trust go to: http://www. victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk/support/donate/ county-history-trust
TOTON’S MEDIEVAL PAST REVEALED Richard Parker, Trent & Peak Archaeology During the summer months of 2014 a community-led archaeology project was undertaken in the area of Toton’s former manor house and mill to investigate the possible medieval origins for the site. Toton Manor had been a medieval township located beside the River Erewash, five miles west of Nottingham, and administered by the parish church of Attenborough. The medieval settlement was referred to in the Domesday Book as Tovetune/ Tovestune and over subsequent centuries the name morphed into Toueton and Towton before becoming Toton. The land, assessed at the time of the Norman Conquest, was recorded as belonging to Healfdene the Saxon. Between 1066 and 1086 this land was given to William Peverel, the lord of Nottingham Castle. The
Domesday survey, undertaken by the new Norman hierarchy, listed property at Toton as consisting of half a church, two mills and a small plantation of willows to the value of 60/-. By the 12th century ownership of Toton Manor had passed to the de Grey family who continued to own the land up to the early 16th century. The manor house at Toton is first documented around 1480 and passed through various notables, including the Stanhope family, until in 1660 when a London lawyer by the name of Arthur Warren purchased the property. The estate remained in the hands of the Warren family until 1855 when it was sold to the Birkin family, who held it until its sale to developers in 1921. Sadly, the manor house was demolished in 1952. The main N-S wing of the Georgian farmhouse foundations, looking south, showing the remains of the portico style entrance to the cellar and remnants of barrel vaulting
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Since the 1950s the area that encapsulates the site of the manor house, as well as a mill site (possibly one of the mills mentioned in the Domesday Survey), had become parkland and in recent years the two sites have been increasingly investigated by local historians. Upon learning of a planned development in the vicinity of the mill site part of the local community sought to investigate the area further. The general locations of the mill and the manor were known only by senior members of the community who could remember the manor house prior to its demolition in the 1950s and the likely spot of the mill due to the remnants of a few isolated worked stones adjacent to a pond (now in-filled). In 2012 ‘The Friends of Toton Fields’ decided to research and investigate the sites and commissioned a geophysical survey of the area. The survey, undertaken by The University of Nottingham and Trent & Peak
Key Victorian Late 18th/early 19th century Mid-17th century Medieval Undated Late 18th/early 19th century projected footprint
Plan of all excavated features. Scale 1:200
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Archaeology (TPA), identified a number of subsurface remains, areas of demolition/in-fill, field systems and possible leat channels. Based on this information, the local council obligingly agreed to move the development elsewhere in order to preserve the remains. As a result of this enlightened approach it enabled further investigative works, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, to be put in place under the project title ‘Toton Unearthed’. As part of Toton Unearthed the recent excavations aimed to place the medieval and post-medieval manor house within its landscape, including the mill and its water management systems. Manor House 18th/19th century phase Located on a raised knoll, upon which stood several mature trees, a series of three
Later Georgian foundations overlying 17thcentury walls, floor and sunken larder area of earlier manor house, looking north
interconnecting trenches were excavated within a clearing. Stripping the topsoil to a depth of approximately 200mm immediately revealed the 18th/19th century brick foundations of the building that had been demolished in the 1950s. Further hand excavation of the area revealed most of the outer foundation walls of the latest phase of the easterly set of buildings. These foundations consisted essentially of three adjoining ranges; a north-south rectangular range equating to the main house, an eastwest rectangular wing and a smaller square washroom attached at the western end of the east-west wing. Furthermore, two less substantial walls were observed towards the northwest intersection of the north-south and east-west ranges, both of which are likely to have been part of a back porch or lean-to type construction. Historical drawings and photographs have revealed that the final phase of building consisted of a three-storey Georgian farmhouse which was constructed of red brick, ‘L’ shaped in plan with a classical symmetrical frontage.
This building also had a cellar and the remains of a barrel-vaulted brick cellar, which occupied much of the main north–south wing, was identified during the excavation. Evidence for a north-facing portico-style entrance to the cellar at the northern end of the building was identified in the form of stone plinths either side of the entrance. All three of the trenches were dominated by the remnants of the footprint of this latest phase and a typical assemblage of 18th/19th century pottery and other artefacts was recovered from these levels. 17th century phase In Area 1(b), further lowering of the levels revealed an intact brick structure identified as dating to the 17th century, lying immediately below the 18th/19th century farmhouse foundations. Much of the floor plan of this earlier building, and some exterior walls, were preserved in good order due to Georgian construction workers using the earlier floor level as a foundation for the later building as well as infilling voids with demolition material, which mainly consisted of lime plaster from northern archaeology today
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ceilings and walls. An exterior single-brickwide wall associated with this 17th-century phase survived up to five courses in height and possibly represented a lower solid plinth surmounted by a timber frame, wattle and daub construction. This brick construction also included a sunken area which is likely to have been a larder or storage space. As well as earlier floors and walls, other related features included two compacted pebble paths, noted in Areas 01 & 02. A separate north–south oriented stone foundation, observed in Area 01, provided evidence for a lost phase of construction work, expressed through the brick impressions that had been left in the lime mortar of its surface. Deposits linked to this construction phase produced pottery and clay pipes associated with the 17th century and a coin datable to 1604–1649.
side suggest it is the westernmost part of the boundary wall of the manorial complex. Further tantalising evidence of the medieval manor was also located in Area 01 where a solitary and substantial stone platform of large limestone blocks was observed; its function is unclear though it is comparable with a foundation for a column base. Other possibly earlier stonework was noted below foundations located at the western end of the 18th/19th-century building, clearly at a skewed angle to the later Georgian construction. In addition, other features which may be attributed to a medieval date were compacted stone floors noted at the north and south ends of Area 01; these were below 17th-century levels and suggest a pebble surface surrounded the medieval buildings.
13th to 16th century phase Evidence of this earliest phase of activity was minimal, which is unsurprising given the continuous use and redevelopment of such a small area over the past 800 years. Perhaps one of the most notable features relating to this phase was a substantial ditch located at the western end of Area 1 (b), at the foot of the knoll. Orientated in a north–south direction, this ditch measured 3m in width (at its surface) and 1.7m in depth. The primary fill of this feature produced sherds of 13th/14th-century greenglazed pottery. Subsequent fills of the ditch also produced a notable quantity of brown/ green roof or ridge tiles datable to the 13th – 16th centuries. It is uncertain whether this ditch is part of a wider field boundary system or, given its location, it formed part of an enclosure encircling a type of complex common with manorial sites.
Although two mills were known to have functioned at Toton at the time of the Domesday Book, by 1308 only one appears to have been in existence. Whilst an approximate location of the post-medieval mill was known it wasn’t clear whether this stood on the same location as the medieval mill. As a result of this uncertainty the mill became one of the project’s prime objectives. Historical records point towards a corn mill on the site during the 18th century, which survived into the 19th century. Subsequently the mill went into decline, possibly outcompeted by technological advancements, and it was converted to a bonemeal factory and then a soap works before its demolition in the early 20th century.
Also discovered in Area 01 was a substantial north–south orientated un-mortared stone wall foundation. The wall consisted of two courses of rectangular limestone blocks which were tooled on the western side and associated with a sherd of 13th/14th century green-glazed pottery. The location of this wall (on the apex of the hill), its size and facing to the outer 22
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Mill Site
Four interlinked areas were excavated on the site of the post-medieval mill (Areas 08, 09, 10 and 11). Hand excavation, after the initial topsoil strip within Area 08, identified the foundation walls and floors of a building which remained preserved to a good standard. This building was defined by a southwest–northeast limestone wall which had been faced on its southern side. The interior lay on the northern side of this wall, in which several brick structures were noted along with stone walls and floors. The floor plan of the building was clearly visible and it quickly
became apparent that half of the complex is now located underneath the adjacent basketball court. Generally, most of the brickwork was datable to the early 18th century with some further stone internal divisions. There was also a later extension located at the south east end of the building, datable to the early 19th century. At the east end of the mill an extension to the building was revealed with a distinct curved eastern corner, probably added during the first half of the 19th century. Towards the west side of the site, in Area 09, the wheelhouse structure for the mill was discovered. The archaeology revealed that this began as an early 18th-century undershot wheel, which was then modified to a Poncelet-type wheel and then a breastshot, with further later modifications during the 19th century. A pond area, which curiously abutted the tailrace end of the mill, was investigated
via a hand-excavated trench (Area 11). This trench was placed from the outer wall of the 18th-century mill extending to the southeast. At a depth of approximately 1m substantial oak piles were observed parallel to and 1m to the southeast of the 18th-century wall. These piles were about 0.5m apart with evidence of mortise and tenon planks between. Two of the oak piles were removed for dendrochrological dating, which, after an anxious wait, came back with an accurate felling date of between 1231–1235, 165 years after the mention of two mills in the Domesday Book! The local community embraced this project and were clear about the questions they wanted answering. Thanks to their dedication and a lot of hard work the project was successful in achieving all of its goals. Most importantly, the team established that this area was indeed the site of one of the earliest mills in Toton, which is likely to have survived on this spot
Plan of mill site
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View of the main body of the 18th-century mill, looking west
until the early 18th century. In keeping with so many other industries during the industrial revolution, the mill was a powerhouse of activity, continually trying to increase its output with ever more innovative and efficient modifications. In the end technological advances outpaced the adaptations made to Toton mill and this inevitably lead to its downfall; with the introduction of steam-powered engines the days of using water power alone was at an end. Bids to transform the mill firstly to a bonemeal factory and then to a soap works proved to be unsuccessful and unviable. The mill’s demise was sealed with its demolition during the early 20th century, which left only a pond and a few solitary stones to indicate that there ever was such a hive of activity on this spot. In later years children would play on this land, and it is those very people, now in their senior years, along with a wealth of enthusiasts from the local community who have finally brought the story of Toton Manor and Mill back to life.
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Large oak stake pile being removed for sampling which gave a felling date range between AD1231–1235
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