Aerial view of East Matfen deserted medieval village earthworks. Photo © Tim Gates.

DMV remains in area centred NZ 04617125. According to Lady Blackett of Matfen Hall, this is the site of East Maften village which was wiped out by the Black Death. (1)

NZ 040713. Deserted medieval village at East Matfen. (2)

(NZ 04557123). Deserted Medieval Village of East Matfen (site of). (3)

Typical remains of depopulation, consisting of stony banks forming crofts, with platforms representing building steadings. Pead House, (at NZ 04617118) a barn now in ruins, post-dates the site. Surveyed at 1:2500. See also aerial photographs CPE/UK 2352, 3067-8. (4)

NZ 046712. East Matfen. Earthwork remains of a deserted medieval village on either side of a largely subterranean stream consisting of a number of units each, apparently, containing a rectangular building and associated walled courtyard. The best preserved examples lie to the south-east including Pead House which continued in use into the post-medieval period. The present north-south road is not part of the medieval pattern. Ridge and furrow surround the site on all four sides. (5)

NZ 046712. Deserted village in East Matfen. Scheduled. (6)

In the 13th century the manor of East Matfen was held by the Fenwicks. The 1296 Lay Subsidy recorded 14 taxpayers. Part of the township was granted to Hexham Priory in the reign of Henry III. The entry in the is incomplete but indicates that shrinkage had occurred in Black Book the population.
After the Dissolution the Fenwicks regained the holdings of Hexham Priory. During the 17th century much of the Matfen estate was alienated piecemeal.
In 1685/6 the estate was purchased by John Douglas of Newcastle who extended the estate; within 20 years he reorganised the farming units. He depopulated the village and established new farmsteads in other parts of the township. The location of a park is shown on a late 18th century map.
Earthwork evidence indicates that it enclosed what had been the north side of the village. East Matfen Farm, west of the village site, was erected in 1691-3. In 1697 the Green was described as being on the south side of 'Douglas' close new enclosed' (NRO ZBL 7/1), the latter apparently the park. 'Townegate' seems to have been used to describe the village green and the track running through it.
The documentary evidence indicates a village aligned east-west, with rows of tenements on either side of the green. 'The Tofts' is an area of ridge and furrow. (7)

Scheduled. (8)

The deserted medieval village of East Matfen and part of its surviving open field system, situated on the right bank of the River Pont. In the 13th century the manor of East Matfen was held by the Fenwick family and a document records that in 1296 14 individulas from the village were eligible to pay taxes. Part of the manor was subsequently granted to the priory at Hexham, and later documents record a fall in the village population. After the Dissolution, the manor was regained by the Fenwicks. During the mid to late 17th century the estate was aquired by John Douglas of Newcastle who depopulated the village and dispersed the farms to other parts of the estate. The plan of the medieval village is a type well known in this part of Northumberland in which two parallel lines of houses face onto a broad rectangular village green, with crofts to the rear. This type of village is thought to be the result of deliberate planning by Norman rulers attempting to exert control over a rebellious region during the 11th and 12th centuries. The two rows of houses are orientated east to west, and each is visible as a series of rectangular tofts containing the foundations of timber long houses. The house foundations stand to an average height of 0.3 metres. To the rear of each street, there are the well defined remains of linear crofts, some of which contain the remains of rig and furrow cultivation. The two streets face onto a broad rectangular open space containing the remains of banks and hollows. This was formerly the village green. A well defined hollow way crosses the green and opens out at its eastern end to form a funnelled access across the surrounding open fields to the pasture beyond. The remains of this open field system survive at the eastern end of the village in the form of a large medieval furlong bounded by intact headland. To the south of this are the remains of two smaller furlongs. Each furlong contains rig and furrow cultivation. Scheduled. (9a)

The medieval settlement of East Matfen is visible as earthworks on air photographs centred at NZ 0455 7123. The site comprises boundary banks, buildings, platforms, crew yards and enclosures. To the north of the medieval green is a row of well defined long houses. To the rear of these are a series of narrow boundary banks defining crofts. At least five probable crew yards defined by hollows lie behind the long houses. Traces of ridge and furrow can also be seen within the crofts and it is possible that this may pre-date the boundaries. To the south of the green is a second row of buildings. These are far less well defined and have evidence of later disturbance. Several boundary banks and enclosures are visible some of which are likely to represent post medieval settlement. Substantial remains of ridge and furrow associated with the open fields of East Matfen is visible although some is no longer extant. The earthworks are extant on the latest 2000 oblique photography. (9b)

General association with HER 31213. (9)