< PreviousLincolnshireheritageexploredIt has been known for a long time that manyLincolnshire villages have “disappeared” andarchaeologists refer to them as Deserted MediaevalVillages. (i.e. DMV’s) At the outset however wemust understand this is somewhat of asimplification and that we should draw a distinctionbetween “desertion” and depopulation; theformer being dictated by circumstance thatpersuaded the villagers circumstances and thelatter a situation being forced on them by anoverlord. There are also instances of shrunkenvillages, where a much smaller settlement remainsand migrated ones - of which Walesby is a classicexample, having moved downhill away from itsoriginal site clustered around its now isolatedchurch.Lincolnshire has however played an importantrole in the early identification of DMV’s and wasinstrumental in the birth of one archaeologicaltechnique that came to be adopted nationally. In1924 Canon Foster pioneered the study of DMV’sin Lincolnshire by publishing a list of 149 sitesthat he had identified; this has since beenexpanded to at least 235. Then in April 1925, onthe suggestion of the vicar of Welton, anarchaeologist, O. G. Crawford, took the firstaerial photograph of a DMV above Gainsthorpenear Kirton Lindsey, a site known of for centuriesbut previously considered as Roman. Thisrevealed a layout that was obviously that of a“village” however and aerial photography as anarchaeological tool became established for thefuture. Many sites can also be identified by anisolated church, farm or manor house; goodexamples are at Driby, Cadeby and Wyham onthe Wolds and Sempringham near Bourne.Some disappeared without visible trace such asBeckfield below Kirmond-le-Mire andSouthorpe near Gayton-le-Wold.The reasons why villages disappeared arecomplex however and they didn’t necessarilyvanish “overnight”. There are manymisconceptions about the impact of the BlackDeath which arrived in southwest England inthe early summer of 1348 and had spread asLincolnshire has more than twohundred deserted mediaevalvillages. Where are they andwhy did they vanish?30-31.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:52 Page 1congregation, and the parishes werecombined in the mid C15th.So where are Lincolnshire’s DMV’s?There is a remarkable lack of them in thefens with the main concentrations beingin the southwest and northwest butpredominantly on the Wolds. There is anotable cluster along the eastern fringesof the Wolds to north and northwest ofLouth where the OS Explorer map namesat least six within a few miles, with othersknown, but not marked, such as Hawerby.Some are of course on private land butmany of these can be seen from publicroads. Good examples are NorthOrmesby (near Ludford), Calceby andDunsby beside the A15 north of Sleaford.(In most cases low sunlight helps inhighlighting the earthworks of the sunkenroads and house plots.) Calceby, just offthe A16 near Swaby, is notable since itretains the ruins of its Norman StAndrew’s church.Many more are accessible on foot,being crossed by public rights of way.Again, the Wolds provide a good huntingground. East Wykeham lies by the VikingWay and the nearby West Wykeham isvisible from it too. The Viking Way alsocrosses the site of Biscathorpe. There areLINCOLNSHIRETODAY31far north as Lincolnshire by thefollowing summer. We should alsoremember that there were severalsubsequent outbreaks of plagueand pestilence – terms used at thetime, that of “Black Death” beingcoined in the C19th. People werehowever ill prepared for theplague as there had been severalyears of combined bad weatherand crop failures. Nevertheless, ithas been estimated that half ofEngland’s population diedbetween 1348 and 1350 and thatof course meant many villages were sobadly hit that they were unable to recoverand dwindled away from lack of manpowerto till the land. But the plague was notoften the sole cause and few villagesdisappeared solely because of it. Indeed the disappearance of villagescontinued for decades, indeed centuriesafter the Black Death. A shortage ofmanpower meant that the peasantry hadnew opportunities to improve their lot bydemanding higher wages and so there wasgreater population mobility. In addition tothe plague epidemics there was a markedchange of land use too with arable landbecoming used for sheep and woolproduction, a more profitable “crop”. Thelanded gentry too were increasingly givento creating new country parks, destroyingor relocating villages in the process. Anunusual case is that of Temple Bruer avillage established by the Knights Templarfor labourers on their estate in the C12thbut which disappeared once the order wassuppressed two hundred years later.Sometimes, as at Hawerby and Beesby thelocation of the church gives a clue.Hawerby’s little church was built re-usingthe stone from Beesby’s when it wasdemolished, presumably though lack of apaths over the extensive remains of NorthElkington and Calcethorpe for example.Others with rights of way nearby, orthrough the DMV site include Wincebyand Orford near Binbrook.Two of the finest however areBrackenborough (near Louth) andGainsthorpe – mentioned above. At theformer a footpath crosses the site but it isalso possible to explore the ancient grasscovered streets. The extensive earthworksat Gainsthorpe are maintained by EnglishHeritage – with free access – and asexplained above this is a specialhistorically important site.Away from the Wolds others that areeasily viewed or explored includeBrauncewell, Greetwell, Langton-by-Wragby, Sempringham, Gunby and OldWainfleet. These are all good examples tovisit.The classic study of this subject (thoughperhaps a little academic for somereaders) is Lost Villages of England(1987)by Professor Maurice Beresford. Thiscontains numerous text references toLincolnshire along with a county list ofDMV’s.by Hugh Marrows30-31.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:52 Page 232 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFASHIONGlimmer ofglamourIt’s the time of year for reinvention, so why not start with a brand-newwardrobe? Here we’ve rounded up some stunning outfits to get you started. 32-41.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:54 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY33FASHIONMasaiMasai strike the perfect balancebetween playful and sexy with adress that’s perfect for partyingwhatever weather.32-41.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:54 Page 234 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFASHIONAbove left: TUZZI This is a bold and stylish outfit from TUZZI with its deconstructed look making it a seasonal must have. Aboce centre: Numph If men can rock smart casual, why not women? We’d argue this Numph outfit is the very definition ofsmart casual. Above right: Marc CainThis bold look from Marc Cain won’t be for everyone, but if you can pull of the audacious white and silveroutfit, you’ll be the bell of the ball. Opposite: Monari This Monari outfit is one for hitting the town, be it with the best friends, or for some you time. 32-41.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:54 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY11FASHION32-41.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:54 Page 436 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFASHION1) Gerry Weber - Gerry Weber offer a simple yet stunning dressboasting a summery colour that’ll make you look and feel great as weenter the deep dark cold of January. 2) Numph - A cute and simple outfit from Numph that will suit anyparty setting. 3) LauRie - If this LauRie outfit is anything to go by, floral patternsshow no sign of disappearing anytime soon. Enhanced by the rest ofthis outfit, there’s still plenty of new ways to wear this old favourite. 4) Ichi - This stunning double-breasted suit from Ichi is a revelation,from it’s loose fit to its stylish pattern. Photo courtesy of DK Company - ICHI5) Ted Baker - This stunning outfit from Ted Baker is truly somethingspecial. The frilly sleeves and cut of the hem is one thing, but the pinkfeather pattern takes it to the next level. 1232-41.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:54 Page 5LINCOLNSHIRETODAY37FASHION34532-41.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:54 Page 6Touch ofeleganceYou can’t go wrong with thisselection of gorgeousaccessories from Ichi.Adding any of these to yourlook with immediatelyenhance it. Try mixing andmatching for ultimate effect.Photo courtesy of DKCompany - ICHIIt’s all about elegance this month, with a selection of darling accessories thatwill elevate your outfits to greatness. 32-41.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:54 Page 7LINCOLNSHIRETODAY39FASHIONThe last word in Parisian chic, these elegant specs from Francis Klein turn this most everyday of accessories into a stylish must-have. You can pick upa pair for yourself at O’Brien’sOptician in Brigg, or by visiting thewebsite www.obriensopticians.co.uk.The beauty of theboot is that it can bepaired with jeans,dresses and skirtsand still lookfabulous. Justimagine the outfitsthis boot from Gaborcould be paired with. You won’t need us to tell you how beautifulthese earrings from Pandora are, but we’llmention it anyway. You’ll definitely want towear your hair up when you put these in. Theo Eyewear balances playfulglasses balance elegance andplayfulness and the resultsspeak for themselves. Headdown to O’Brien’s Optician inBrigg to try them on yourself orcheck out the websitewww.obriensopticians.co.uk.Deep pink,crimson andburgundyshades makethis scarf fromMasai a musthave accessory. With a stylish buckle, Numph add the finishingtouch to this simple belt, perfect for pinching adress in the middle or worn with trousers. There’s necklaces andthen there’s thesestunning Marc Cainpiece, which issomewhere between achoker and a necklace. Itwill add another elementto any dress which bearsthe neck and collarbonesand elevate a simpledress to the upperechelons of style.32-41.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:54 Page 8Next >