West Midlands Regional Research Framework for Archaeology, Seminar 5: Hoverd 2
Medieval Herefordshire
Tim Hoverd
Herefordshire Archaeology
"Research into the medieval period in Herefordshire presents a number of paradoxes. The most obvious one concerns the construction of any overview of the archaeology of the county during this period. On the one hand, there have been a large number of encounters with and investigations of medieval sites in the county. however, not only are there huge gaps in understanding and documentation, but also in appreciation of the processes and outcomes of change - social and economic - across the five centuries concerned. So, in sum, we know a lot about several sites, but little about the vast majority.
I shall consider the topic under five headings. No doubt more could be identified, such as 'trade', 'ceramics', and so on, but we are probably at too early a stage in research for meaningful questions to be phrased for these, at least at the level of the county:
1. Castles and moated sites.
The known sites have been reviewed by Shoesmith and others. Despite some recent work on mottes, there has been little research and investigation that is not confined to individual sites. The most extensive recent study has been of Wigmore Castle, and recent detailed surveys have been made of Longtown and Richard's Castle.
2. Towns.
Two recent surveys have identified a number of deserted sites, but none have so far been fully surveyed, let alone excavated. Most recent urban investigation has been limited to Hereford and Leominster. In both cases. important information about the development and internal organisation of the settlements in the medieval period has been recovered. A major gap remains in our knowledge of the other existing market towns: Bromyard, Ledbury, Kington and Ross.
3. Rural settlements and farming.
Keith Ray will discuss the problems around the definition of deserted and nucleated settlements in Herefordshire in his talk this afternoon. Suffice it to say here, that the evidence for former villages centred around parish churches, as well as tightly clustered hamlets during the medieval period is considerable. Evidence for former open field systems is widespread, both as fossilised traces in modern field boundaries, and as ridge and furrow, and as sometimes substantial linear terraces. However, the archaeological investigation of any such sites and fields to date is virtually nil.
4. The Church
No sustained work has been carried out following on from Shoesmith's investigations at Llanwarne and at Craswall. Churches continue to present difficult 'targets' for archaeological work, and too much work still goes on without adequate provision. The archaeology of monasticism odes not exist as a research activity, and even the location of the principal structures of Hereford's documented friaries remains elusive.
5. Woodlands, parks
A significant amount of new information about the location, the boundaries, and the development of both woodland and parks across the county is accumulating as a result of new field survey in the past four years, and the pace of this is quickening. This has run in parallel with important researches into the history of parks and gardens by David Whitehead.
Looking to the future, programmes of work on a number of these areas is either underway, or can be anticipated. Of particularly high importance is the study of whole landscapes, and particularly those that relate seigneurial centres to their attached urban or market centres, and their wider landscape setting. Urban archaeology will continue to be largely opportunistic, and church archaeology intractable."