Monument record MDO20762 - Little Mayne deserted medieval settlement, West Knighton

A deserted medieval settlement and associated field system are visible as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs.

(Centred SY 724872). The settlement earthworks to the north and west of Little Mayne Farm have been surveyed on 1:2500 (see survey plan with SY 78 NW 24). <1> SY 723871. Remains of Little Mayne settlement extend over 5 acres, west, south west and north of Little Mayne Farm. The first documentary reference to Little Mayne (Parva Maene) seems to be in 1201-2, though 'Maine' is found in Domesday Book. Hutchins records a free chapel of St. Stephen here; its earliest recorded rector being instituted in 1326 and the last in 1491. Scarped closes lie north of the farm around a well-marked hollow-way, 2 ft. deep, running north between low banks, small sarsen stones protrude from the crest and scarp on the east. The hollow-way meets a slight double bend in the hedgeline at SY 72478729 but cannot be traced north of this. Warne referred to the hollow-way as a 'straight avenue' connecting with former stone circles but it is far more likely to be Medieval. There is no evidence to support the suggestion, by Sykes <3.3> that the lower parts of stone walling of the cottage at SY 723871 belong to the former chapel of St. Stephen; the walls are only 19ins. thick and therefore unlikely to be Medieval. <3-4> The surviving earthworks of Little Mayne are generally as described by RCHM <3>. They are poorly defined except for two terraces centred SY 72378717. The remains of the alleged Chapel were demolished about 1960 and the site is occupied by cattle pens. Terraces transferred at 1:2500 on to M.S.D. <5> A deserted medieval settlement and associated field system, including ridge and furrow, are visible as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs, to the north, east and south-west of Little Mayne Farm. <8-11>

Record last edited

Jan 4 2024 4:01PM