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AngloSaxonfarmingintheEastMeonHundredByIanWesley,EastMeonHistoryGroup

IntroductionMostAngloSaxonswereinvolvedinfarming.Agricultureformedthebulkoftheeconomy:manufacturingasweknowithardlyexistedand,byourstandards,tradeplayedaminorifgrowingrole.Theformsofwealthandmanyinteractionsbetweenindividualsorgroupswereconcernedwithfarmingmatters.Theft,forinstance,inAngloSaxonlawisprimarilytheftofcattle.Commercialtransactionsarealsomostlyconcernedwithlivestock.Rents,tithesandprobablymanyothertaxeswerepaidinfoodstuffs.Forthebasicnecessitieslife–food,clothes,andshelter–AngloSaxonEnglandwasself-sufficientandthiswasalsotrueofvirtuallyallAngloSaxons.TheaverageAngloSaxonwasapeasant;themajorityofpeoplegrewmostofwhattheyate,andatemostofwhattheygrew.Eventhoseatthetopofthesocialscale,althoughtheygarnishedtheirlifestylewithimportedexoticasuchasspicesandsilks,reliedforthebasicsontheirownlands,fromwhichtheyextractedproductsbyfoodrentsandotherobligations.FortheaverageAngloSaxonstayingalivedependeduponhisorherownphysicalwork,tillingthesoilandcaringforlivestock.Peoplelivedontheirarablecrops,enlivenedbywhateveranimalfoodscouldbeproduced;clothingcamefromthebacksoftheirownsheep,androofingandbeddingmaterialsfromthefields.

AllAngloSaxonfarmingsystemswereintegrated.Livestockandarablefarmingwereindispensibletooneanother;arablecropsdependedonthemanureandlabourofanimalswhichinturnfedontheproductsofarablelandaswellasthatlyingfallow.DuringtheAngloSaxonperiodthelandscapeandfoodproductionoflowlandBritainwasinlargemeasuretransformed.Bytheendoftheperiodsomethingrecognisableas“traditionalEnglishfarming”hadstartedandvillagessuchasEastMeonhadbeenfounded.

AftertheRomansInimmediatelypost-RomanBritain,farmingwasfreedfromthedemandsofimperialarmies,elites,andtowns;withlarge-scalecerealproductionnolongerrequired,farmingrevertedtosomethingresemblingthepast.Farmerswentbacktogrowingthecropsthattheythemselvesneededplusenoughtosupportnon-productivemembersofthelocalpopulation.TheirownneedsweresuppliedbythehulledcerealsthathadbeengrownsincefarmingbeganBritain.Meanwhiletherewasevidentlyasufficientnumberofgrazinganimalstopreventthelandscaperevertingtowildernessonthelarge-scale.Giventhethinlyscatteredhumanpopulationatthistime,livestockfarmingtookonarenewedimportance;usingmuchlesslabour-intensivemethodsineitherarablefarmingortheanimalhusbandryoflatercenturies,asmallnumberofpeoplecouldsupervisefairlylargenumbersoflivestockandextensiveareasofland.

This“abatement”wasthecontextinwhichAngloSaxonsettlementtookplaceinthefourthandfifthcenturies.Thereisnoevidencethattheyboughtnewfarmingmethodswhentheyarrived.TheAngloSaxonsdidbringnewideas,seeds,evenanimals,butthattherewasnomajorchangeintheoverallpicture.Large-scaletransformationonlybeganlater,probablygraduallyandinEastMeonwasalmostcertainlyduetotheownershipofthevillagebyWinchesterMinster.

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SignsofchangebecamevisiblearoundthemiddleoftheAngloSaxonperiod:freethreshingcereals,especiallybreadwheat,weregrownmorewidelyashulledcerealsdeclinedinimportance.Arablefarmingasawholebegantoexpandincomparisontolivestockhusbandry;indeedthetwobecameinextricablylinkedasincreasingnumbersofstockwerekeptclosetohumansettlements.Ashumanpopulationexpanded,theareasavailableforopengrazinghadtocontract.MoreofEnglandwasbeingploughedinsteadofbeingworkedwithhandtoolsandthismayhavebeenthetimewhentheheavymouldboardploughstartedtomakeanimpact.Bothofthesedevelopmentsmeantthatmoreoxenwereneededfortraction.Theseanimalswouldbenearthearablefieldswheretheyworked,allowingthosefieldstobefertilisedwiththeirdung.Growinghumanpopulationsalsoincreasedthedemandforanimalfoodproducts,andmoremilkinganimalswerekeptclosetosettlementstofacilitatedairyproduction.Thesemilkinganimals,includingsheepaswellascows,andlargenumbersofsheepmustalsohavebeenkeptinEastMeonasthewooltradeexpanded.ItisalsointheAngloSaxonperiodwestarttoseethewidespreadkeepingofpigswithhugeherdskeptonwoodpasture;theDomesdaybookrecordsthattherewereover200pigskeptinEastMeonbytheendoftheAngloSaxonperiod.

Someofthesechanges,suchasthetransitiontofreethreshingcerealscanbeobservedbeginninginthemiddleoftheAngloSaxonperiodorevenbefore.Others,liketheincreasingimportanceofthemouldboardplough,canonlybereallydetectedattheendoftheAngloSaxonPeriod,butprobablyhadearlierorigins.

SaxonsinEastMeonArchaeologicalevidenceforAngloSaxonperiodinthisareaisextremelylimited.Thereareonly16AngloSaxonarchaeologicalfindsinthewholeEastMeonHundredandmostofthoseareontheFroxfieldplateau.Writtendocumentation,consistingofafewdifficult-to-readAngloSaxonchartersandsomeobliquereferencesintheAngloSaxonchronicle,isverysparse.

SaxonsorJutesThereisawidespreadbeliefthatthisareawascolonisedbyJuteswhocamefromwhatisnowJutlandratherthanSaxonswhooriginatedinGermany.Bedeprovidesthefirstdirectwrittenevidenceforthisarea.HeacknowledgestheexistenceofJutishprovincesituatedwithinsouthernHampshire.HealsomentionsexistenceofasubgroupwithintheMeonValley:theMeonwara(provinceofthedwellersoftheMeon.)ThissuggeststhatthevalleywashometoadistinctgroupofJutessettledwithinawiderJutishprovince.InadditiontheplacenameYtedene(valleyoftheJutes)nearEastMeonwasprobablygivenbypeopleofadifferentethnicitylivingnearby,suchasSaxonswhomaybeidentifiedintheplaceknowntodayasExton.

WulfhereofMurcia,thenoverlordofAethelwealhoftheSouthSaxons,grantedtheSouthSaxonkingtheprovincesofIsleofWightandtheMeonwaraasarewardforhisconversiontotheChristianfaith.BederecountsitssubsequentconquestandannexationbyGewisse(WestSaxons)inthesecondhalfoftheseventhcenturyandexplicitreferencetotheMeonwarasuggestthatthearearetainssomeofitsautonomy.Likemanyonceindependentareas,orsmallkingdoms,itcertainlyseemstohavesurvivedasanadministrativeunitunderWestSaxoncontrol.TheeighthandninthcenturyMeonchartersandthelostnameplacenameYtedenemayindicatethecontinuingneedtodefinethesettlementintermsofethnicity.However,itisclearthatfollowingtheconquestbytheSouthSaxonstheareawasquicklyassimilatedintotheoverallSaxonculture.

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AngloSaxontakeoverAftertheSaxonmigration,thelanguage,placenames,cerealcropsandpotterystyleschangedfromthoseoftheexistingRomano-BritishpopulationtothoseoftheSaxonmigrants.TherehasbeenongoinghistoricalandarchaeologicalcontroversyabouttheextentthattheSaxonsreplacedtheexistingRomano-Britishpopulation.ModerngeneticstudiesshowclearevidenceoftheSaxonmigrationbutlimittheproportionofSaxonancestryexcludingthepossibilityoflongtermSaxonreplacement.ThebestestimatetodayisthattheproportionofSaxonancestryinSouthernEnglandisverylikelytobeunder50%andmostlikelytobeintherangeof10-40%.

InitiallytheAngloSaxonsoccupieddownlandsitesbutsitessuchasneighbouringChaltonDownwereabandonedinthe8thcenturyinfavourofrivervalleysites.Wasitduetoexhaustionofthesoilsduetolackoflandmanagementorwasitduetotheintroductiononthemouldploughwhichenabledheaviersoilstobecultivated?

GeologyoftheEastMeonHundredThedetailedgeologyofthisareaisverycomplex.ButbroadlyspeakingitisamixturechalkdownlandandtheWealdMargin,withtheclaysoilsbecomingeverheavierasyouascendfromtheMeonValleyontotheFroxfieldplateau.

Figure1Source:HampshireSouthDownsMappingproject

Thedominantgeologicalfeatureisaprominentspineofchalkrunningroughlywest-eastanddissectedbytheriverMeon.Thechalkformationsaretheyoungestrocksinthegeologicalsequenceandtheyformanexpansiverollinguplandwithlittlesurfacedrainage.Largeareasofclay-with-flintsoverliethechalkbedrockontheupperslopestothenorth.Thedownsendinadramaticeast-facingscarpdescendingintotheRotherValleywhereaprominentoutcropofgreensandformsanescarpmentbelowthatofthechalk.

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SoilsMostofthesoilhasdevelopedsincetheendofthelastIceAgeandistheresultofcomplexinteractionsbetweengeology,landuseandclimate.

Onthedownsthesoilsarecharacteristicallyshallow,lime-richtopsoilsoverlayingchalkrubble.Whereuncultivatedtheyaredarkandhumus-richsoilswhichsupportherb-richdownlandandchalkwoodlandcommunities.Overmuchoftheareathesesoilsareundercultivationandhavebeenconvertedtoarubblylightbrownmixtureoftopsoilandchalk.Freelydraining,slightlyacidicandheaviersoilshavedevelopedonthenorthernplateauoverlainbydepositsofclay-with-flints.ThesoilsontheWealdenEdgearecomplexwithfertilefreedrainingsoilsandmoreslowlypermeable,seasonallywetbasicloamsandclayoverlayingthemudstonesoftheGaultFormation.

AngloSaxoncultivation

ClimateTheearlyMiddleAgeswasaperiodlikeourownwhentheclimatewasintransition;asitworseneditprobablyaidedthecollapseoftheRomanlifestyleandlargescalecerealproduction.ButbytheendoftheAngloSaxonage,EnglandwaswellonthewaytotheMedievalWarmPeriodthatprecededtheLittleIceAge.

PloughingAlthoughitispossibletopreparearablefieldswithspades,itismuchlesslabourintensivetouseaplough.Therewerewidespreadvariationsintypesofplough,buthistoriansdividetheminto2maingroups:ardsandmouldboardploughs.

Figure2TheArd

Figure3SaxonMouldboardPlough

Thecrucialdifferencebetweenthetwoisthatthemouldboardploughturnstheearthover,thusburyingweedsandbreakinguptheclodsastheyfall.Theardiscapableofeffectiveploughingon

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lightsoilsbutneedsseveralpassesindifferentdirectionstobreakupthesoil.ItusedtobethoughtthatthemouldboardploughwasintroducedtoEnglandbytheAngloSaxonsbutthatisnotthelatestthinking.HoweveritiscertainlytruethatthemouldboardploughcameintowidespreadusebytheAngloSaxonsandenabledthemtoploughheaviersoilsthanhadbeenpossiblewiththeard.

IntheEastMeonHundredthismeantthattheheaviersoilsontheFroxfieldplateaucouldnowbecultivated.IndeedthatiswherethevastmajorityofAngloSaxonarchaeologyfindspotsarelocated.

Themuchheaviermouldboardploughneededteamsofoxentopullit(horseswereonlyusedforridingbyhighstatusindividualsinAngloSaxonculture.)AllillustrationsofploughinginAngloSaxontimesshowoxenworkinginpairs.Asinglepairofoxenwouldhavebeensufficienttopullanard,butamoresubstantialteamwouldberequiredtopullamouldboardplough.ItisthoughtthattheploughteamsdocumentedintheDomesdayBookwereofeightoxen,buttheevidenceforthisisremarkablythinontheground.

CropsTherecoveryofplantremainsandanimalbonesfromexcavatedsitesprovidesthemainresourceforunderstandingagriculturalpracticeduringtheAngloSaxonperiod.

TheearlyAngloSaxonperiodsawasignificantchangeincerealproductionwiththewidespreadadoptionoffree-threshingwheat(Triticumaestivum)inplaceofspeltwhichwasgenerallycultivatedduringtheRomanperiod(andearlierfromtheIronAgeonwards.)Barleywasalsoamajorcrop;evidenceforthecultivationofoatsisambiguousbutitwasprobablygrownalongwithbeans,peasandflax.Thereislittleevidenceforthecultivationofrye.

Evidencefromexcavatedcorndriersinthechalkdownlandspresentsthefollowingpicture:

Table1Source:FieldsofBrittania

Soitisclearthatoatswerealwaysafringecropinthisarea;wheatproductionroseduringthelateRomanperiodpresumablytoprovidebreadfortheRoman“welltodo”attheexpenseofbarley;thearrivaloftheAngloSaxonssawapartialreturntobarleyattheexpenseofwheat(itisthoughtthattheyplantedbarleyasawintercropasthemouldboardploughmeantitwasnowpossibletopreparethegroundforwintersowing.)Ryewashardlygrownatall.

Amajordifferenceoftheseearlycerealcropstotheirmodernequivalentsistheheightofstraw.Theaverageheightofmodernstraw40cmwhereastrialsatButserAncientFarmhaveshownthatancientstrawwasofvariableheightbutcouldbeupto2metreslong.Thiswasimportantasstrawwasavaluablecommoditybeingusedforthefeedingofstock,thatchingandasbeddingmaterialforbothhumansandanimals.

CropEarlyRoman

LateRoman

MidSaxon

% % %

Wheat 35 78 56Oats 3 2 7Barley 62 19 34Rye 0 0 1

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Cabbages,peas,parsnipsandcarrotswerecommonvegetablesinAngloSaxonBritain.Blackberries,applesandraspberrieswerethemostcommonfruitsofthetime.

AnimalsThereisonlypartialdataforthisareafromarchaeologyexcavationsofanimalbones,butwedohavesomedataforthechalkdownlandsandthe“claywithflints”soilssowidespreadontheFroxfieldplateau.

Table2Source:FieldsofBrittania

Area

EarlyRoman LateRoman Mid-Saxon

Cattle Sheep Pigs Cattle Sheep Pigs Cattle Sheep Pigs

% % % % % % % % %

Claywithflints 47 40 13 75 17 8 Chalk 30 64 6 43 51 7 48 42 9

SotherewasalargeincreaseinthepercentageofcattleonallsoiltypesfromearlytolateRomantimesandacorrespondingdecreaseinsheep.Clearlytherewerealwaysmorecattlerearedontheheaviersoilstypes.TheincreaseincattlecontinuedonintoSaxontimeswithasmallincreaseinpigs.CowshoweverweremuchsmallerinAngloSaxontimebeingthoughttobethesizeofmodernDextercattle.

Domesticfowl,intheformofchickensandgeese,andgoatswerealsokept.

WoodlandWoodlandwasanimportantresourceinAngloSaxontimesasitprovidedtheirprimarybuildingmaterial.Woodswerevaluablepropertiesfortheirowners,asasourceofwood,fuel,timber andforageforpigs.InsouthernEngland,hazelwasparticularlyimportantforcoppicing,thebranchesbeingusedforwattleanddaub inbuildings.

Ancientwoodswerewell-defined,oftenbeingsurroundedbyabankandditch,sothattheycouldbeeasilyrecognised.Thebankmayalsosupportalivingfenceofhawthornnorblackthorn topreventlivestockordeer enteringastheyareattractedbyyoungshootsoncoppicestools.

Aswewillseelater,itwasreportedintheDomesdayBookthattheEastMeonHundredhaswoodlandtosupport200pigs.

FarmingonchalkdownlandsForthegreaterpartofourrecenthistorychalkdownlandhasbeenprimesheepcountryandmanyofourbest-knownimagesofthedownsareofanemptylandscapeoccupiedbysheepwithjustashepherdandhisdogforsignsofhumanlife.However,thatwasnotthescenewhentheSaxonsarrivedinthiscountry.SinceMesolithictimes,farmersusedthechalkuplandstogrowtheircrops,ascanbeseenfromtheextensiveCelticfieldsystemsinthisarea.Itisthoughtthatthesefieldsystemscomprisedtwo-thirdsofthelandthatiscultivatedtoday.Thesefieldsoflightsoilsneedednowoodlandclearancestoestablishandwereeasytocultivatewithlimitedtools;initiallythatmeantjustspadesbutlateritwasards.Thefarmingsystemswerelargelybasedonsheepwhichgrazedthe

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downsandthenprovidedmanurewhichcouldbeusedtofertilisethefieldsforthegrowingofcrops.Sheephadthespecialmeritofbeingtheanimalsleastdependentonaregularsupplyofwaterandwerealsoeasiertomaintainduringautumnandwinter.

ThemoveawayfromthechalkFromtheninthcenturyorthereaboutstherewasagradualshiftawayfromtheuplandsettlementsoftheChaltontypeinfavourofvalleysettlementswhichexpandedandbecameincreasinglynucleated.Villagesdevelopedbetweenthefootofthedownsandtheriverlandsandbythe10thcenturyopenfieldswerelaidoutonvalleysides,wheresheep-cornhusbandrycontinuedbutlessintensivelybypasturingthesheeponthefallows.

BytheendoftheAngloSaxonperiodmostpeoplehadgivenuptryingtocultivatetheerodedsoilsontopofthechalkuplandswherecenturiesofploughingbytheardcouldwellhavecontributedtotheerosionthatisstillaproblemtoday.Theybegantoploughtheheaviersoilsofthelowerslopesandthe“clay-with-flints”soilsontheFroxfieldplateauandputtheircattleontothelushrivermeadowsinthevalleys.Thefarmsteadsmovedtoo:weseetodaystringsoflinearvillagesalongthefootoftheSouthDowns,oneofwhichisofcourseEastMeon.Thefarmswereprimecandidatesfortheentirepackageoftheheavierplough,openfields,andthemuchmoreorganisedformofpasturingonthefallowswhichopenfieldsallowed.Animalsspentthedayonthedownlandandthendepositedtheirmanureonthefallowswhentheywerebroughtinatnight.ThiswaspartofawidespreadmoveinthisdirectionwhichbeganintheAngloSaxonperiodandwastocometofullfruitionaftertheNormanConquest.

Thereareseveralpossibleexplanationsforageneralmoveoffthechalk.Themostimportantmayhavebeenthesimplest:thethinsoilsofthechalkareonlykeptfertilebydintofmuchlabourandstock-intensivemanuring,andwhereerosionwasaconstantproblem,hadsimplygivenuptheghostandwerenolongerfertileenoughtofeedtheinhabitants.Anotherexplanationmayhavebeentheintroductionofthemouldboardploughthatcouldcopewithheavierandmorefertilesoils.Whiledeepploughingwouldhavebeenhavebeenofnobenefitonthetopsofthedowns,asitonlybroughttothesurfacechalkwhichwasinchesbelowthethintopsoils,asstillhappenstoday,itcouldwellhavebeenoneofthebenefitsofmovingcultivationtothelowerslopesandriversides.Incontrasttotheard,whichneededonlyapairofoxenandjustamanorwomantopullit,theheavierploughneededthetractionpowerwhichateamofoxenprovided.Landinthevalleyswasmoresuitableforcattle,withlongergrassinthemeadowsandthemeadowsthemselvesasourceofwinterfodder.Thehighchalk,whichhadbeenintensivelyfarmed,wasnowbeingusedpurelyassheeppasture.

Thesechangesaddeduptoarevolutioninfarmingthathadprofoundandlong-lastingeffectsonthefarmingofEnglandandthusonmanyotheraspectsofeconomy,societyandcultureinsucceedingcenturies.IfopenfieldfarmingasseeninEnglishlocalrecordsinthe13thcenturyonwardswasnotyetinfulloperationtheelementswereavailable–thecrops,thetools,thetechniques–whichalloweditsdevelopmentaftertheNormanConquest.Similarlythelarge-scalesheephusbandrywhichbecamesuchafeatureoflatemediaevalEnglishfarmingandthetradewhichsustainedithaditsbeginningsintheAngloSaxonperiod.ManypeasantfarmershadflockslargeenoughtocontributesurplustothenetworkofmarketsthatweresuchanimportantaspectofEngland’swooltrade.

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SocialorganisationAngloSaxonfarmersdidnotliveinanegalitariansociety.AngloSaxonsocietywasdividedintoasimpletwo-tierhierarchy,eorlandceorl.

Eorlsweretheelitedistinguishedbybirth,wealthandforthemen,office;ceorlswereallotherfreemenwhowerefarmersinonewayoranother.HoweveragooddealoftheworkofAngloSaxonfarmingwasdonebyslaveswhoinearlyAngloSaxontimeswereprobablydescendantsofthenativeBritishpopulation.BytheendoftheAngloSaxonperiod,slaveshadlargelybeenreplacedbydependentpeasantry.HoweverinAngloSaxontimeseveryoneworkedhardsothelifeofaslavewasnotverydifferenttothatoftheirmaster.

RiseofSaxonestatesTheearlyAngloSaxonsettlementwasgenerallysmall,non-hierarchicalandunenclosedrural,consistingofafewtimberhallsandancillarysunken-featuredbuildingswithperhaps30-50people.

ThemidAngloSaxonperiodsawimportantchangesinthesettlementpatternwith:

• morespecialisedsitetypes• theexpressionofsocialstatusandownershipthroughtheappropriationofsignificantsites• theconstructionofmoreelaboratebuildings• thecontrolofaccesstospace,andclosercontroloflivestockandcrops,bythewidespread

creationofenclosureswithinsettlementsites.

TherewasasignificantchangeinlandscapeexploitationacrosssouthernBritain.Therewasanintensificationinlandusewithwoodlandclearanceandincreaseinarablecultivationpracticecausedbytheintroductionofnewsystemsoffarming.Thisperiodwasalsoatimeofinvestmentininfrastructureprojectssuchaslargecoastalfishtrapsandwatermills.Suchconstructionprojectswouldhaverequiredconsiderableresourcesintermsofbothlabourandmaterialsandthecentralisedauthoritythatcontrolledthem;mostofthemajorinfrastructureprojectsweknowofappeartobeeitheronroyalormonasticestates.Thisisalsotheperiodwhendocumentaryevidenceintheformofchartersshowsthatthelandscapewasbeingdividedupintodiscreteestates,whichweregrantedbykingstothenewlyemergedChristianmonasteries.UnfortunatelyAngloSaxoncharterswerewritteninOldEnglishand,intheabsenceofmapsorplans,necessarilyreferredtophysicalfeatureswhichareimpossibletoidentifyorevenceasedtoexist1000yearsago.Theyalsocontainnoinformationofwhatlaywithintheirboundsorwhatcropsweregrown.

Thearchaeologicalrecordalsoseestheemergenceofafarmorestratifiedsettlementpatternduringthisperiodandinparticularhighstatussettlementsthetypethatwerenotseeninthe5thto6thcenturies.ThecollectionandprocessingoffoodandotherresourcesseenonthesesiteswasonafarlargerscaleandwaspartofafarwiderchangeinthelandscapeoflowlandBritainwhichalsosawtheemergenceofcoastaltradingsessioncentressuchasHamwic.

OpenfieldsLateSaxonadministrationdividedlandintodefinedunitswithdesignatedzonesforpasture,arable,meadowandsettlementandcroprotationwaspracticed;itdidhaveitsoriginsinthe7thcenturyorpossiblyevenearlier.TheevidenceisunclearastowhetherAngloSaxonsfirstintroducedopenfieldstoEngland(either2or3fieldsystems.)Thecreationwouldhaverequiredawholesale

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reorganisationofacommunity’slandholding.Thiswasmucheasierwherethecommunity’shouseswereclusteredclosetogetheranditwouldalsomakeworkingtogethermucheasier.

Openfieldshadlargeunfencedfieldsdividedintofurlongs,eachinturnmadeupoflongnarrowstripsrunninginthesamedirection.Thesestripswerethefundamentalunitsoflandholdingandalsotheunitsofploughing;amouldboardploughwaslongandthinandheavyanddifficulttoturn.Sothebestwayofworkingistoploughaslongaspossibleinonedirectionbeforeturning.Eachfurlongusuallyhadaheadlandateachendforturning.

LocalarchaeologyAngloSaxonarchaeologyisextremelylimitedintheEastMeonHundred;asocietythatbuiltmostlyinwooddoesn’tleavetoomanylastingmemorials.HoweverthereareinterestingAngloSaxonsitesjustovertheborderoftheEastMeonHundredtoboththewestandsoutheastwhichareveryindicativeofAngloSaxonactivityinourarea.

MeonstokecemeteryThereisanextensiveearlyAngloSaxoncemeteryclosebythewestborderoftheEastMeonHundredatShavardsFarmnearMeonstoke.Burialscomefromearly6thcenturytotheendofthe7thcentury;allareofpreChristianorigin.The7thcenturyburialsshowalackofcremations,areductioninthenumberofgravegoodsandaconcernwiththeexternalmarkingofthegrave.Anumberofgravesstandoutasmore“princely”burials.Theseareusuallyinterpretedasthegravesofregionalleadersandarebelievedtoindicateanincreaseinsocialstratification.Burialwasnowthearenaforsignallingthestatusofelites;kinbasedcommunitiesofthe5thand6thcenturiesweregraduallygivingwaytoamorehierarchicalsocietythatweredocumentedbyBede.

MeonstokesettlementAnAngloSaxonsettlementatShavardsFarminMeonstokewasexcavatedinthemid1980s.Thesitewasnotingreatconditionhavingbeenextensivelyploughed,probablyinthe19thcenturybysteamploughing.ItisthoughtthatthesitewasbegunintheearlytomidSaxonperiodbutpotteryevidenceindicatesitsuseinthesecondhalfoftheSaxonperiod.Onesunkenfloorhutprovedtobeveryinterestingasithadbeenusedasarubbishtipafterithadgoneoutofuseandthefloorwasrichinartefactsincludingthreeclaycrucibles,anantlercombandboneneedle,potteryandanimalbones.Soilsampleswerealsotakenatvariouslevels.

Analysisoftheanimalbonesindicatedthepresenceofcattle,pigs,horse,cat,sheepandtheoccasionalboneofdomesticfowlorgeese.TherewasanunexpectednumberofyounganimalsincontrasttothefindingsatHamwicwheremorematureanimalsarethenorm.SomeofthepigboneswereverylargewhichsuggeststhateitherthepigsatMeonstokewereverymuchlargerthanthosefoundatHamwicorelsetheywerewildboar.

Analysisofplantremainsshowedthatbarleywasthemostcommoncerealfoundonthissite.Oatswererecordedinfewercontextsbutofteninhigherquantitiesthanwheatorbarley.ThecerealgrainsrecoveredwerealloffreethreshingformswithoneexceptionofahulledgrainwhichislikelytohavecomefrompreviousRomanactivitiesonthesite.

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ChaltonDownAnextensiveAngloSaxonsettlementofsome15acresatChurchDown,ChaltonwasidentifiedbyBarryCunliffeinthe1970s.ThesettlementcontainedsubstantialSaxonhalls,probablythenormaldwellingofthefreeman,holderofahideandputanendtothepreviouslyheldtheoriesthattheAngloSaxonslivedinsqualidhovels.AreconstructiononeofthehallsatButserAncientFarmisshowninthefigurebelow:

Figure4BusterAncientFarm:reconstructionofAngloSaxonhallfromChaltonDown

Examinationofbonesfromexcavatedrubbishtipsshowedahighfrequencyofsheep,deerandpig.TherelativeinfrequencyofoxseemstoindicatethattheeconomyofChaltonVillagedependedmoreonhuntingandsheepfarmingthanoncattleraising.

Likemanyothersettlementsitwasabandonedinthe8thcenturyaspartofthe“moveawayfromchalk”asthevillagesofBlendworthandChaltonbecameestablished.PerhapsasimilarmovefromasyetunidentifiedAngloSaxonsitesinourarealettotheformationofEastMeon.

MarketsOpportunitiesfortradeintheEastMeonHundredwererepresentedbyHamwic(Southampton)andlaterWinchesterwhichprovidedamarketforagriculturalsurplusthatwereresultingfromimprovedfarmingtechniques.

HamwicHamwicwasfoundedinthe7thcentury,possiblybynewlyarrivedWestSaxons.Itdeclinedin9thcenturyduetocoastaltradebeingaffectedbyVikingraidsand/orthenewimportanceofWinchesterastheSaxoncapital.

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ThecreationofthenewfootballstadiumatStMary’sprovidedawealthofnewarchaeologicalevidence.Boneassembliesindicatethattheanimaleconomywasoverwhelmingbasedoncattle,sheepandpigs(andlargelydrawnfromoldercattleandsheepthathadalreadybeenusedforotherpurposes.)Somepigsandpoultrymayhavebeenraisedinthetownandsomefishandshellfishwaseatenalthoughfishdoesnotappeartohavebeenamajorcomponentofthediet.

Astudyofmineralisedplantremainssuggeststhatcerealsformedthemajorpartofthediet,thoughpeasandbeanswerealsoconsumedonaregularbasis.Arangeofotherfoodsconsumedwasfound,includingnativehedgerowfruits,applesandpearorquince,plums,afewgrapes,andplantsusedforflavouringincludingmustardandnon-nativespeciesfennel,corianderanddill.

Althoughthemainproducewasthoughttocomefromlargeroyalorecclesiasticalestates,localpeasantmarketsprobablyfedintothemainmarketbylocaltradingfromonemarkettoanother;coinsmintedinHamwichavebeenfoundatLowerFarminEastMeon.

Menwhomanagedroyalandecclesiasticalestateswereknowledgeableshepherdswhosentsheepandwooltomarket.Farmerswhoweresupplyingsheepandwooldidnotnecessarilytakethegoodstomarketthemselves:peasantproductionwasgenerallymediatedthroughanetworkofminormarkets.Theirproductsverylikelyreachedthemarketindirectlybycollectorsofsomekindsincetherewasalegalminimumamountwhichcouldbesoldatmarket.AnimportantherepathranalongtheMeonvalleylinkingWinchestertoAlton;therehadbeenacattlemarketatNeathamsinceRomantimeswhichmayhavebeenoperationalinAngloSaxontimes.

WinchesterThemarketitselfwaschanginginlateAngloSaxontimes.HamwicdeclinedfromtheninthcenturyandWinchestergrewinthetenthcenturywiththefoundationofthenewMinsteranditsgrowingroleasanadministrativecentre.LateAngloSaxonminsterswerethenearestequivalentEnglandhadtoroyalpalaces.Townsinwhichtheyweresituatedbecomingmorelikeprovincialcapitals.Winchester’slinkswithLondondrewinsilverandbytheendoftheperiodithaditsownmint.ThismaybepartlybecauseitcreamedoftradeprofitswhichoncewouldhavebeenHamwic’sbutagreatmanyotherfactorsmustalsohavebeeninvolved.TheriseofWinchesterasacommercialcentrewasaccompaniedbythechurchintensifyingexploitationofitslands.BoththeOldandNewMinsternowhadvastestates(includingofcourseintheEastMeonHundred)andalertlandlordswereincreasinglyableandeagertotappeasantresourcesoflivestockandlabour.

TransitiontoNormansTheAngloSaxonperiodendedwiththeNormanConquestin1066.TwentyyearslatertheDomesdayBookwascommissionedtodocumentlateAngloSaxonEnglandsothattheNormanscouldextractthemaximumamountoftaxfromtheirnewsubjects.

Atthistime,theAnglo-SaxoneconomywasoneoftherichestinEuropeandalsothemostadvanced.ThesizeofBritain,itslocation,itsclimate,itsunderlyinggeology,itsfishinggroundsandfarmland,hadmadeitoneofthemostvaluableland-banksinthewesternworld.Englandhadchangedfromahalf-woodedlandintoonethatwasoccasionallywooded.Possiblyaslittleas15%ofthe27millionacresoflandcoveredinthe1086returnswerewooded,ratherlessthantheproportionofwoodlandseentodayinFrance.

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In1986,tocelebratetheninthcenturyafterDomesday,EastMeonwaschosenas‘TheDomesdayVillage’bytheHampshireMuseumService,onthebasisthatthevillagehadretainedmoreofitslayoutandcharacterfromtheMiddleAgesthananyother;amodelwasbuilttoreconstructthevillageatthetime,accordingtothehistorians,andthiswasdisplayedattheGreatHallinWinchester;itisnowintheMuseedelaTapisserieinBayeux.

Figure5EastMeonwasdesignatedHampshire’s‘DomesdayVillage’in1986,andthismodelshowshowthevillagemighthavelookedinNormantimes.TheimageoftheleftshowsthepredecessorsofAllSaintsChurch,foreground,andofTheCourtHall,topleft.Ontheright,thesimplehousing,farmbuildingsandsmallholdingstypicalofthetime.

AstheDomesdaymodelshows,mostdwellingsweresurroundedbyplotsofland,onwhichtheownercouldgrowvegetablesandrearpigsandchickensforhisfamily.Eachtithingwasaclusterofsuchhutsandhouses,surroundedbyacombinationofarablefields,meadowsbytheriver,anddownsonwhichsheepgrazed;MeonEcclesiaownedthebishop’shuntingparktotheeastofthevillageandtherewereextensivewoodsandanotherparkatHyden.Arablelandwaslaidoutinlargeopenfields,subdividedintosmallplots:nohedge,fenceorditchseparatedthestrips;thefurrowsleftbytheploughwerereckonedtobesufficienttodistinguishthelandcultivatedbyonetenantfromthatofhisneighbour.

TheDomesdayBookAtthetimeofDomesday,EastMeonwasknownasMenes,theHundredofMeon.In1066thewholeHundredhadbeenheldbyStigand,whowasbothArchbishopofCanterburyandBishopofWinchester.In1070hewasdeposedbyWilliamIandhediedtwoyearslater.MenesManeriumwasthenappropriatedby‘theLord’,theKing,butthesmallermanorofMenesEcclesiaremainedthepropertyofthenewBishopofWinchester,Walkelin,anditsincomewenttomonksofSwithun’sPriory.

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Figure5TheDomesdayentryforMenesManerium

InMeneHundredMenesLandoftheKing.ArchbishopStigandhelditbefore1066,fortheuseofthemonks;laterhehaditforhislifetime.Thentherewere72hides;itpaidgeldfor35hidesand1virgate.Landfor64ploughs.Inlordship8ploughs;70villagersand32smallholderswith56ploughs.15slaves;6millsat40s;meadow,8acres;woodlandat200pigsfrompasture;fromgrazing7s6d.Valuebefore1066£60;later£40;now£60;however,itpays£100byweightinrevenuebutitcannot

bearit.

Todecodetheclericalshorthand:NormanofficialsusedtheoriginalAngloSaxonmeasurementsbywhichahideequalsonaverage120acres,dependingonthequalityofthesoil,andavirgatewasaquarterofahideor30acres.So,MeonManor,whichin1086belongedtotheking,comprisedseventytwohides(8,640acres),butitonlypaidtaxonthirtyfivehides(4,200acres)andonevirgate(30acres)sotheotherhalfwasnotcultivated.Ithadlandtosupportsixtyfourploughteamsandseventyfarmers,aswellasthirtytwosmallholderswhohadlandforfiftysixploughs.Alsoonthislandwerefifteenslaves,sixmillsworthfortyshillings,ameadowofeightacres,woodlandtosupporttwohundredpigs,andpastureearningsevenshillingsandsixpencefromgrazing.Thevaluebefore1066hadbeen£6,decliningto£40,andby1086itreturnedto£60.However,‘themanorpays£100butthisappearstoomuchforthismanor’.

TheDomesdayentryforMeneEcclasia1Figure6TheDomesdayentryforMeneEcclasia1

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InMeneHundred.Thebishopholds6hidesand1virgatewiththe

churchinMene.Landfor4ploughs.Inlordship1½ploughs;11villagersand8smallholderswith3ploughs.2slaves;1millat30d;meadow,4

acres.Valuebefore1066andlater£4;now100s.

InMeneEcclesia,BishopWalkelinholdssixhides(720acres)andonevirgate(30acres)ofthemanorwithachurch.ThesehidesoftheBishoppaidtaxonthreehides(360acres)andonevirgate,theothersdidnotpaytax.Thevaluebefore1066,andlater,hadbeen£4,andin1086onehundredshillings,or£5.

Insummary,thetwomanorsofMenescoveredanareaofmorethan9,000acres;thesemadeupMeneHundred,whichincludedthetithingsofFroxfieldandSteep,withapopulationofoverahundred‘villagersandslaves’;ithad7millsand128½ploughteams.ThiswasthelegacythattheAngloSaxonsinEastMeoncreatedfortheirNormanconquerorstoenjoy.

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