Bitchfield Shrunken Village (Belsay)
NZ 090770. Deserted medieval village at Bitchfield. Nothing visible on available aerial photographs (RAF 1949). (1)
Bitchfield now consists of two farmsteads at NZ 090770 and NZ 099775 respectively. There is no visible evidence of de-population and the 'village' was probably of the non-nucleated type. (2)
Bitchfield was a member of the lordship of Baliol. Seven taxpayers in the 1296 Lay Subsidy. Held in moieties from the late 13th century. By the end of the 14th century both halves acquired by the Middleton family.
Record of 1360 suggests the township had previously comprised about 25 holdings, most of which seem then to have been abandoned. The Hearth Tax of 1666 listed five houses; Armstrong's map of 1769 showed only the hall, plus three buildings at East Bitchfield. The village now contains one farm and two cottages.
The hall-farm is centred on Bitchfield Tower (NZ 07 NE 7). 14th century documents indicate a chapel (NZ 07 NE 13). In 1814 there were two closes adjoining the east side of the hall - North Chapel Field and South Chapel Close. The northern close contains earthwork enclosures in the south west corner and possible building sites in the north west corner. The latter form the east end of a row of croft boundaries and house sites running as far as Crag Bank on the west. The southern close is in ridge and furrow. (3)
Earthworks identified from lidar and aerial photography to the east of the current farm at West Bitchfield represent platforms and a possible building. They may relate to elements of medieval settlement but their location and regular rectilinear form may suggest an association with the tower house, perhaps in the manner of formal garden remains or alternatively the remains of farm buildings. (4)
Is referred to by HER 28133. (5)
Bitchfield now consists of two farmsteads at NZ 090770 and NZ 099775 respectively. There is no visible evidence of de-population and the 'village' was probably of the non-nucleated type. (2)
Bitchfield was a member of the lordship of Baliol. Seven taxpayers in the 1296 Lay Subsidy. Held in moieties from the late 13th century. By the end of the 14th century both halves acquired by the Middleton family.
Record of 1360 suggests the township had previously comprised about 25 holdings, most of which seem then to have been abandoned. The Hearth Tax of 1666 listed five houses; Armstrong's map of 1769 showed only the hall, plus three buildings at East Bitchfield. The village now contains one farm and two cottages.
The hall-farm is centred on Bitchfield Tower (NZ 07 NE 7). 14th century documents indicate a chapel (NZ 07 NE 13). In 1814 there were two closes adjoining the east side of the hall - North Chapel Field and South Chapel Close. The northern close contains earthwork enclosures in the south west corner and possible building sites in the north west corner. The latter form the east end of a row of croft boundaries and house sites running as far as Crag Bank on the west. The southern close is in ridge and furrow. (3)
Earthworks identified from lidar and aerial photography to the east of the current farm at West Bitchfield represent platforms and a possible building. They may relate to elements of medieval settlement but their location and regular rectilinear form may suggest an association with the tower house, perhaps in the manner of formal garden remains or alternatively the remains of farm buildings. (4)
Is referred to by HER 28133. (5)
N10252
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1968; B H Pritchard
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, Belsay Awakes: Historic England Contribution 2017; Historic England
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, Belsay Awakes: Historic England Contribution 2017; Historic England
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