Scheduled MonumentsEnglandShrunken village

Shrunken village

England
List entry 1004965
Nation
England
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

A shrunken village is a settlement whose population and built extent have contracted significantly over time, leaving earthwork remains visible in the landscape. The Lincolnshire shrunken villages documented in the county's archaeological record typically date from the medieval period, with abandonment or contraction often occurring following the fourteenth-century Black Death or through later enclosure movements. Physical evidence usually comprises house platforms, field systems, and trackways preserved as earthworks or soil marks. These sites are valuable for understanding medieval settlement patterns, demographic change, and the agricultural transformations that reshaped the English countryside.

Shrunken village is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1004965. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Shrunken village?

A shrunken village is a settlement whose population and built extent have contracted significantly over time, leaving earthwork remains visible in the landscape. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1004965.

Who is responsible for protecting Shrunken village?

Shrunken village is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1004965.

What other scheduled monuments are near Shrunken village?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Roman wall, ditch and gate adjoining and under The Park (5.5 km), Portion of Roman fosse and mound W of the Temple Gardens (5.6 km), Roman remains beneath Boots building (5.7 km).

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