Monument record MDO4793 - Village of Lazerton, Stoupaine

Settlement remains of the village of Lazerton survived until recently along the east side of the River Iwerne as earthwork scarps, ditches and banks covering aboiut 10 acres. The site was bulldozed in 1962 to facilitate agricultural ploughing. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

Settlement remains of the former village of Lazerton (864106) survived until recently in the extreme N. of the parish, along the E. side of the R. Iwerne. <4-5>

Lazerton was an independent parish and was one of the 'Iwernes' of Domesday Book; it has been identified by Eyton (137-8) as the three-hide manor of Edwinus (D.B. Vol.I,f.84a) with a recorded population of seven. In the late 12th century a charter states that the church was so poor that it was released 'from all payments except synodals' (Hutchins I, 3II; W.A.M. IV (1858)< 68). The parish was not taxed in 1428, having fewer than ten inhabitants (Feudal Aids, 1284-1431, Vol. II, 94); in 1431 it was joined to the parish of Stourpaine because 'the church of Lazerton had so small profits that it had been and was then destitute of a chaplain' (Hutchins loc.cit.). The village was certainly without inhabitants when the 1662 Hearth Tax returns were made. The remains, covering 10 acres, were destroyed in 1962; before this the site comprised two distinct parts. The N. third was a roughly rectangular area, centred on the site marked on O.S. maps as 'St Andrew's Church' and now divided into two fields; it was covered by numerous scarps, ditches and banks and the area marked as the church was a roughly rectangular platform (50 ft. by 25 ft.), orientated E.-W. When the area was bulldozed in preparation for ploughing a limestone coffin-lid with chamfered edges and traces of an incised cross was found; fragments of flat unglazed roof tiles also came to light. The southern two-thirds of the site contained at least seven closes, orientated E.-W., 20 yds. To 35 yds. Wide and defined by low banks. Fragmentary platforms and sunken areas, probably the sites of buildings, lay at the high, or eastern ends of the closes. <1>

<1> Royal Air Force, 27-04-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2038 3231-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16338.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1962 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 86431079) St Andrew's Church (NR) (site of) (NAT)

<3> Ordnance Survey, c 1962, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map, epoch five (Map). SDO13903.

(ST 86431079) St Andrew's Church (NR) (site of) (NAT).

<4> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 262, No 7 (Monograph). SDO136.

‘(7) SETTLEMENT REMAINS of the former village of Lazerton (864106) survived until recently in the extreme N. of the parish, along the E. side of the R. Iwerne.
Lazerton was an independent parish and was one of the 'Iwernes' of Domesday Book; it has been identified by Eyton (137–8) as the three-hide manor of Edwinus (D.B. Vol. I, f. 84a), with a recorded population of seven. In the late 12th century a charter states that the church was so poor that it was released 'from all payments except synodals' (Hutchins I, 311; W.A.M. IV (1858), 68). The parish was not taxed in 1428, having fewer than ten inhabitants (Feudal Aids, 1284–1431, Vol. II, 94); in 1431 it was joined to the parish of Stourpaine because 'the church of Lazerton had so small profits that it had been and was then destitute of a chaplain' (Hutchins loc. cit.). The village was certainly without inhabitants when the 1662 Hearth Tax returns were made.
The remains, covering 10 acres, were destroyed in 1962; before this the site comprised two distinct parts. The N. third was a roughly rectangular area, centred on the site marked on O.S. maps as 'St. Andrew's Church' and now divided into two fields; it was covered by numerous scarps, ditches and banks and the area marked as the church was a roughly rectangular platform (50 ft. by 25 ft.), orientated E.-W. When the area was bulldozed in preparation for ploughing a limestone coffin-lid with chamfered edges and traces of an incised cross was found; fragments of flat unglazed roof tiles also came to light.
The southern two-thirds of the site contained at least seven closes, orientated E.-W., 20 yds. to 35 yds. wide and defined by low banks. Fragmentary platforms and sunken areas, probably the sites of buildings, lay at the high, or eastern ends of the closes.’

<5> Beresford, M, and Hurst, J G, 1971, Deserted Medieval Villages, 186 (Monograph). SWX1568.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1994, Medieval Village Research Group Index, PRN 491 (Index). SDO16386.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206140 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 5 2024 1:11PM