Medieval field system comprising broad ridge-and-furrow and field banks; associated with the deserted medieval village of Alnhamsheles. (Alnham)
The area of ridge-and-furrow around the medieval village of Alnhamsheles (plotted from APs) coincides with the area of demesne arable land, in total about 200 acres, plotted on the Percy estate map of c 1620 at which time the land was farmed from Alnham Moor, half a mile to the E. By 1755 the land around the site had been subdivided into small enclosures with drove-ways in between, and the arable ploughlands were no longer cultivated. These enclosures were themselves abandoned by 1809. (1a-b)
In 1982 and 1983 three sections were dug through the field banks of the field system. Two of these were on opposite sides of a drove-way (not positioned by Dixon); these revealed a bank revetted with boulders, 0.7 m high above the ditch which in both cases was on the inside of the drove-way. The other trench was across a well-preserved sector of a bank enclosing ridge and furrow (again not located by the excavator); the bank was 1.0 m high above the ditch, its front revetted with boulders; it was built over a preserved ancient soil. (1c)
Between Rowhope Burn and Shank Burn is an extensive area of broad rig cultivation occupying about 10 hectares (24.7 acres), much of which has been mutilated by recent land reclamation particularly in the vicinity of the deserted medieval village [NT 9615/37-56] tentatively identified as Alnhamsheles (Dixon 1980, 38) and with which the broad rig is associated. Within the area of cultivation there are a number of turf-covered field banks ranging from 1.5 m -2.5 m wide and from 0.3 m - 0.7 m in height; some of these partially enclose and respect the pre-existing blocks of broad rig, others cut across the ridges and clearly post-date them. The old trackway between banks leading S from the village occupies a headland between blocks of rig; the other drove-way extending SW from the village to the SW extremity of the ridge-and-furrow appears to overlie a sinuous bank [NT 9615/58], 4.0 m wide and 0.8 m in maximum height, running around the W side of the village proper. (1d)
[NT 9614/22] is the southern extremity of [NT 9615/58]; it consists of a turf-covered stony bank, 1.5m-2.5m wide and 0.3m-0.7m high. (1e)
In 1982 and 1983 three sections were dug through the field banks of the field system. Two of these were on opposite sides of a drove-way (not positioned by Dixon); these revealed a bank revetted with boulders, 0.7 m high above the ditch which in both cases was on the inside of the drove-way. The other trench was across a well-preserved sector of a bank enclosing ridge and furrow (again not located by the excavator); the bank was 1.0 m high above the ditch, its front revetted with boulders; it was built over a preserved ancient soil. (1c)
Between Rowhope Burn and Shank Burn is an extensive area of broad rig cultivation occupying about 10 hectares (24.7 acres), much of which has been mutilated by recent land reclamation particularly in the vicinity of the deserted medieval village [NT 9615/37-56] tentatively identified as Alnhamsheles (Dixon 1980, 38) and with which the broad rig is associated. Within the area of cultivation there are a number of turf-covered field banks ranging from 1.5 m -2.5 m wide and from 0.3 m - 0.7 m in height; some of these partially enclose and respect the pre-existing blocks of broad rig, others cut across the ridges and clearly post-date them. The old trackway between banks leading S from the village occupies a headland between blocks of rig; the other drove-way extending SW from the village to the SW extremity of the ridge-and-furrow appears to overlie a sinuous bank [NT 9615/58], 4.0 m wide and 0.8 m in maximum height, running around the W side of the village proper. (1d)
[NT 9614/22] is the southern extremity of [NT 9615/58]; it consists of a turf-covered stony bank, 1.5m-2.5m wide and 0.3m-0.7m high. (1e)
N34636
MEASURED SURVEY, RCHME: SE Cheviots Project ; RCHME
Disclaimer -
Please note that this information has been compiled from a number of different sources. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided.