Spernall Shrunken Medieval Village

1 1195-1361 the village was largely depopulated by pestilence, so that many villein tenements came into the hands of freemen.
2 The village consists of the church (PRN 549) and rectory and a few scattered houses.
3 Minor disturbances evident in the field to the S of the church, bounded by ridge and furrow, probably marks the site of the village before migration to the present site, ribboned along the road eastwards from the bridge.
4 The main village nucleus developed around the church. Raised platforms to the SW of the church which were subsequently ploughed over may represent an early settlement site. A platform leads into and between the platforms terminating at the river. Some Post Medieval houses survived on the site (PRN 6122).
6 Revived as a hamlet of tenant farmers, working small holdings, and lasted until the 18th century.
7 A geophysical survey (as part of an evaluation, see reference 8) identified anomalies which coincided with visible earthworks.
8 An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Warwickshire Museum of land required for a new bridge and realignment of the highway at Spernall Bridge. The evaluation identified medieval settlement remains which included probable settings for a Medieval timber framed building. A large quantity of pottery was also recovered, mainly from a layer within evaluation trench 3.
9 Listed in Domesday, in Ferncombe Hundred. The Phillimore edition has a grid reference of 08,62.
Ref 29,4 (Land of William Bonvallet) Hugh holds 2 hides in Spernall from William. Land for 4 ploughs. In lordship 1; 4 villagers and 7 smallholders with 3 ploughs. A mill at 4s and 7 sticks of eels; meadow, 8 acres; woodland 3 furlongs long and 1 wide. Value 40s.
10 Correspondence from 1988 with the owner of Upper Spernall Farm.
11 Notes relating to 10.
12 Portable Antiquities Scheme find provenance information:
Date found: 1997-01-01T00:00:00Z
Date found: 2001-09-30T23:00:00Z
Methods of discovery: Metal detector