Agriculture and Settlement in Medieval Husthwaite and Baxby, North Yorkshire

Abstract

This dissertation considers evidence for agriculture and settlement in Husthwaite and Baxby from the Saxon period to enclosure. Evidence is sought for an early-middle Saxon settlement and a field system of long lands. The establishing of a later complex common field system, its further restructuring and subsequent decline will be followed. The relationship between field system and settlement morphology will be discussed, and evidence is given for dispersed settlement, nucleated settlement, and the subsequent re-planning of the latter. Reasons will be sought for the co-existence of both woodland and common arable field systems, and comparisons will be made to field systems elsewhere in Yorkshire. Husthwaite’s court roll is used as the principal research tool in determining the field systems.