Deserted Medieval Village Research Group

Deserted Medieval Village Research Group
Name	Deserted Medieval Village Research Group
Formation	1970s
Type	Research society
Purpose	Study of deserted medieval settlements
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Region served	England

Deserted Medieval Village Research Group is a specialist society focused on the study of abandoned medieval settlements in England and adjacent regions. The group emerged from scholarly interest in settlement archaeology, landscape history, and historical geography, drawing on traditions represented by institutions such as British Archaeological Association, Royal Archaeological Institute, Society of Antiquaries of London, Historic England, and universities including University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of York, University of Leicester, and University of Durham. Its work intersects with projects run by organizations like National Trust, English Heritage, Council for British Archaeology, Museum of London Archaeology, and county archaeological units in counties such as Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Suffolk.

History and Formation

The group's origins trace to meetings among scholars influenced by fieldwork at sites like Wharram Percy, Gainsthorpe, Mardley, Aston Cantlow and discussions at conferences hosted by British Archaeological Association, Society for Medieval Archaeology, Royal Historical Society and British Academy. Founding members included researchers affiliated with University of Cambridge, University of York, Institute of Archaeology, UCL, University of Birmingham and county archaeologists from Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. Early activities paralleled national initiatives such as the Domesday Book studies, landscape surveys inspired by W.G. Hoskins and rescue archaeology prompted by the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 and later planning policy instruments. Collaboration with projects at English Heritage and publications in journals like Medieval Archaeology and Antiquity helped formalize the group's remit.

Objectives and Activities

Primary objectives include identification, survey, protection and interpretation of deserted medieval villages comparable to Wharram Percy, Upper Ditchford, Nether Heyford, Holme Pierrepont and Stoke Field (village). Activities span fieldwalking and excavation in partnership with University of Leicester Archaeological Services, geophysical prospection with teams trained at Archaeological Prospection Services and outreach via lectures to audiences at British Museum, Yorkshire Museum, Norfolk Record Office, Lincoln Cathedral and local history societies in Rutland, Essex, Hertfordshire and Wiltshire. The group liaises with statutory bodies such as Historic England and local planning authorities in districts including East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and Derbyshire Dales to advise on conservation and scheduling under frameworks akin to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

Research Methods and Publications

Methodologies combine techniques used at excavations like Wharram Percy and surveys at Brough-on-Noe: aerial photography promoted by practitioners associated with Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, geophysical survey using equipment from English Heritage, fieldwalking in the tradition of W.G. Hoskins and archival research in repositories such as The National Archives (United Kingdom), Lincolnshire Archives, Norfolk Record Office, Bodleian Library, Cambridge University Library and parish records from Diocese of Lincoln. The group publishes annual reports, monographs and conference proceedings following formats used by Medieval Archaeology, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, Local Historian, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society and series from Council for British Archaeology. Collaborative outputs have been produced with universities including University of Sheffield, Queen's University Belfast, University College London, University of Reading and independent specialists like those associated with English Heritage and National Trust research teams.

Notable Projects and Case Studies

Significant case studies have included long-term investigations analogous to work at Wharram Percy, targeted resurveys of sites such as Gainsthorpe and documentary-led projects focused on villages like Whiston (North Yorkshire), Bottesford, Stapleford (Nottinghamshire), East Stoke (Nottinghamshire), Little Carlton (Lincolnshire) and Stretton-on-Fosse. Field campaigns have paralleled methodological advances from excavations at South Cadbury and landscape studies exemplified by work in Fenlands and Cotswolds, and have informed heritage management at scheduled monuments including Castle Acre Priory and deserted settlement remains around Lindisfarne. Cross-disciplinary case studies engage palaeoenvironmental specialists from centres such as Environmental Archaeology Unit, York and dendrochronologists connected to Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory.

Membership and Organization

Membership comprises archaeological practitioners, historians, local historians, students and volunteers linked to institutions like University of York, University of Leicester, University of Cambridge, Society for Medieval Archaeology and county record offices in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Derbyshire. Governance follows committee models familiar to Council for British Archaeology and Society of Antiquaries of London, with officers elected and working groups for fieldwork, publications, outreach and archives. The group collaborates with trusts and funding bodies such as Arts and Humanities Research Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, National Trust and local civic societies to support training excavations, student bursaries, and public lecture series delivered at venues including British Museum, York Minster Library and regional museums like Leicester Museum & Art Gallery.

Impact and Contributions to Archaeology

The group's sustained survey and publication program has influenced scholarly understanding of demographic change, enclosure processes, pandemic effects like those studied in contexts of Black Death, and agrarian transformation in medieval England studied alongside research on Manorialism, Open-field system and rural settlement morphology exemplified by Wharram Percy and Gainsthorpe. Its work informed statutory scheduling of deserted village sites by Historic England and contributed data to national inventories compiled in projects associated with Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England and county historic environment records in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Through collaboration with universities such as University of Cambridge, University of York and University of Leicester the group has supported doctoral research, advanced field methods showcased in journals like Medieval Archaeology and Antiquity, and helped foster public appreciation through exhibitions at institutions such as British Museum, Yorkshire Museum and regional civic museums.

Category:Archaeological organizations Category:Medieval archaeology