Shrunken Medieval Settlement 400m S of Church

Description of this historic site

Earthwork remains of a Medieval shrunken village at Priors Hardwick. Priors Hardwick is first recorded as one of 24 vills given to Earl Leofric to found the monastery at Coventry, the grant was confirmed by Edward the Confessor in 1024.

Notes about this historic site

2 Earthworks of enclosures and linear features indicate probable area of Medieval settlement.
3 A settlement is first recorded as one of 24 vills granted to Earl Leofric to found a monastery at Coventry, the grant was confrimed by Edward the Confessor in 1024. By the time of the Domesday Survey the settlement amounted to 15 hides among the Priory estates. The population of the village was falling during th 16th century and it is believed that desertion, in favour of sheep pastures, soon followed. the present village contains buildings largely of the 18th century and results from later regrowth of the settlement on a different alignment. The earthwork remains represent a series of regular tofts and crofts defined by banks and ditches forming enclosures including some subdivided plots that also contain house platforms.

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