For You Lot Data - Deserted Medieval Hamlet Discovered Inwards Cambridgeshire

The footprints of entire ancient settlements convey been uncovered across Cambridgeshire during the archeology programme of the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme. MOLA archaeologists convey uncovered tonnes of prehistoric pottery, excavated iii of the largest Anglo-Saxon settlement areas always investigated inwards Cambridgeshire in addition to discovered evidence of revolutionary Roman technologies beingness introduced to the county. Now, MOLA archaeologists are looking at the tantalising evidence of a long-lost Deserted Medieval Village discovered less than one-half a mile W of Brampton.

Aerial persuasion of the abandoned medieval hamlet of Houghton [Credit: MOLA Headland Infrastructure]

Deserted Medieval Villages are non uncommon inwards England – many others convey been discovered in addition to excavated – simply every bit the MOLA squad delve into the history of this item village, evidence of a much to a greater extent than odd argue for its abandonment is coming to light.

Thanks to surviving historical documents it is known that the hamlet MOLA archaeologists convey uncovered was called Houghton, pregnant ‘estate or farm on a heel-shaped spur of land’ inwards Old English. But who lived there, in addition to what made them leave?

Medieval metallic belt buckles from Houghton [Credit: MOLA Headland Infrastructure]

Houghton started out inwards the sixth to ninth centuries AD every bit an unenclosed Anglo-Saxon settlement of forty houses in addition to huts. By the fourth dimension it was abandoned inwards the 13th century the pocket-sized settlement had move a neatly position out village, alongside houses lined upward along trackways in addition to gear upward inside to a greater extent than obvious plots.

Finds in addition to features offering clues close what life inwards Houghton was similar – it was unusually rich alongside industrial activity. Concentrated traces of metalworking remains convey been establish some i building, idea to endure a blacksmith’s shop. On the other side of the key rail are what appear to endure tanks called ‘retting pits’ – mayhap for treading or beating flax to brand wearable fibres or another water-based process.

Pin beater from the Deserted Medieval Village of Houghton [Credit: MOLA Headland Infrastructure]

But what made the people of Houghton exit this bustling village? The most mutual argue for this to hap inwards Great Britain is plague. As outbreaks claimed the lives of thousands, hamlet populations chop-chop declined in addition to survivors moved on, resettled in addition to created novel communities. However, things were dissimilar at Houghton.

On his accession to the throne inwards 1154, King Henry II claimed the whole county of Huntingdonshire every bit his exclusive hunting Blue Planet nether Norman law. As the ‘royal forest’ expanded, the villagers lost access to the local woodlands which would convey provided their nutrient in addition to fuel in addition to were forced to motion out.

Phased invention of A14C2H Deserted Medieval Village [Credit: MOLA Headland Infrastructure]

Emma Jeffery, i of our Senior Archaeologists said: “What is actually interesting close Houghton is that it is an before Deserted Medieval Village than most. It wasn’t abandoned due to the Black Death similar many others were, simply instead the villagers were forced out past times the expansion of the regal hunting forest.”

As Houghton’s population declined, its inhabitants most probable relocated to the modern hamlet of Brampton nearby, leaving behind exclusively traces of their busy, hard-working lives inwards the opened upward Cambridgeshire fields to endure revealed almost i K years later.

Source: MOLA Headland Archaeology [June 13, 2018]


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