Monument record MDO2863 - Lower Lewell Farm: deserted medieval settlement

Probable remains of East Stafford or Lewell deserted medieval settlement visible as cropmarks and earthworks on aerial photographs. A former manor and hamlet now represented by a farm.

The northern part of West Knighton parish belonged to the Medieval settlement of Lewell or East Stafford now represented by Lower Lewell Farm (SY 742897) and Lewell Mill (SY 738900). <1>

Lewell formed a joint tithing with East Stafford according to Boswell in 1795 (a) but they are mentioned separately in earlier documents. East Stafford appears in 1202 as Stafford Hospitalariorum and in 1280 as Stafford Hospitalis. The element 'Hospitalis' etc, occurs because it was held by the Knights Hospitallers and distinguished it from West Stafford parish. It was probably one of the two Domesday manors called 'Sta(n)ford' although both these forms have been included under West Stafford. Estaford is recorded in 1303 and again as Estsaford in 1332. Hutchins notes that the farm and Warren of conies called Stafford alias East Stafford are recorded in 1516, 1601 and 1699; in 1569 the Fishery and Waters of East Stafford are also mentioned. Lewell is first recorded as Lewelle in Domesday (1086), Lywolle in 1285 and Leywell in 1454. <2>

In the vicinity of Lower Lewell Farm, area SY 741898, are extensive earthworks which may represent closes, including a possible house platform, or field boundaries belonging to the former manorial settlement of East Stafford. A trackway extending from the present road at SY 74148964 to approx SY 74168987 may also be associated with the earthworks, which lie on either side. A slight earthwork opposite Lewell Mill Farm at SY 73878997, is possibly a former house platform. <3>

This area has been intensively ploughed and no identifiable remains of a settlement are visible. A few low and amorphous scarps can be seen but they form no coherent pattern. <4>

Probable remains of East Stafford or Lewell deserted medieval settlement visible as extensive cropmarks and earthworks on aerial photographs. Remains comprise of banks, ditches, house platforms, holloways and field boundaries. <6-10>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 135 (Monograph). SDO148.

<2> Mills, A D, 1977, The place-names of Dorset, Part 1, 207, 209 (Monograph). SWX2852.

<2.1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 499-502 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<3> Mead, Richard, Field Investigators Comments RPM, R1 RPM 10-MAR-1980 (Unpublished document). SWX2301.

<4> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JGB 30-JAN-81 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<4.1> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 5077-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO20343.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1994, Medieval Village Research Group Index, PRN 494 (Index). SDO16386.

<6> 22-MAY-1969, CUCAP (AXM68) (Aerial Photograph). SDO10960.

<7> 11-JUN-1978, NMR OS/78080 011 (Aerial Photograph). SDO10959.

<8> 22-MAY-1969, CUCAP (AXM72) (Aerial Photograph). SDO10958.

<9> Royal Air Force, 09-MAR-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2475 3004-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO10957.

<10> Royal Air Force, 11-MAR-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2491 3006-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO10951.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454109 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 7 2023 3:39PM