Monument record EYE 245 - Documentary evidence of Langton Green, Victoria Hill, Eye

1999: A documentary search was carried out to examine the readily availabe cartographic sources and assess the potential for further documentary research. The site lies on the edge of Langton Green and the report details the stages at which the green was enclosed and the surrounding field pattern altered. The green was a medieval hamlet of Eye and there are clear references to this area from the eraly 13th century. The enclosure of Langton Green in 1812 represents not a process in itself but the completion of a series of events that gradually changed the landscape. The green area possibly represents the late medieval landscape, and a reference to Le Break in the earlier survey of 1586 may be evidence of medieval enclsoure pre dating the 15th cetnury. Langton was an important hamlet of Eye before the 13th century as indicated by priory charters. The tenements were surrounded by moats or drainage ditches some of which are shown on OS maps. There are no ditches in the immediate area of this site which might suggest that it was not part of the green frontage. (S1)

2000: Monitoring of groundworks confirmed the conlcusions of the map/document search which indicated that the northern boundary of the development fell short of the southern edge of Langton Green. No archaeological features were seen. The only finds of any age were two small body sherds of emdieval coarseware and one flint flake. A light scatter of brick and tile fragments was also present but were small and of post medieval date. (S2)