Monument record MDO7937 - Newton, Gotowre super Mare, Studland

Town known only from documentary sources. In 1286, a new town with a harbour at Gotowre super Mare in the parish of Studland, was laid out. No certain remains have ever been found. It is uncertain if it was ever established beyond a single farm.

The site of the abortive town and borough or plantation of Newton lies somewhere at the head of Newton Bay in an area of low lying heathland overlooking Poole Harbour. In 1286, Richard de Bosco and Walter de Marisco were appointed to lay out with sufficient streets, lanes and adequate sites for a market, a church and building plots, a new town with a harbour in a place called `gotowre super Mare (Goathorn Plantation - SZ 010857). Later that year, Edward I made a grant to the burgesses of Nova Villa of all the liberties of London and also of weekly markets and yearly fair; the identity of Nova Villa with Newton was first recognised by Tait. Newton is not represented at the Assize of 1288 nor in the lay subsidy or taxpaying rolls, which apparently suggests that it was a failed settlement. Attempts to locate the site have been unsuccessful but attention has been drawn to the area immediately around Newton Farm (SZ 005851) as being the most likely site. <1> Recent field work, c.1980 <3> failed to locate the exact site or any remains but the area is mostly well-wooded. <1-4> Recent Aps and excavations carried out in 1987 have provided the clearest evidence yet for the location of Newton, a failed Medieval port. A series of enclosures with subsidiary features were identified at SZ 002852 but no dating evidence was recovered. It is possible that the proposed settlement layout was defined but never inhabited. <6> The town of Newton, Studland is known only from documentary sources. In 1286, King Edward I appointed two men to lay out a new town with a harbour at Gotowre super Mare in the parish of Studland. In that same year Edward granted the burgesses of Nova Villa in Dorset two weekly markets and an annual fair. It is likely that these two documents record the same place, though the precise location of the town is not known. Current thinking places the likely location of the town at the end of Newton Bay near Newton Cottage on the west side of Goathorn Point. <9> The possible earthwork remains of the town of Newton, Studland, were recorded as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1982 during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset). The earthworks consist of a series of enclosures, with trackways running between them, over an area measuring 430 m by 105 m. The areas enclosed measure between approximately 18 m by 12 m and 80 m by 30 m. The earthworks are centred on SZ 0025 8516. <10>

Record last edited

Jan 19 2024 5:01PM