FRIESTON (in CAYTHORPE)

SK 940478

The close named Barrow Garth (1) is situated on the north-east edge of the hamlet of Frieston in Caythorpe parish (Fig 86). The settlement has probably always been small. In 1086 it gave its name to a twelve-carucate hundred, but tenurially it was a member of Robert de Vescy's large manor of Caythorpe (2). It apparently remained in demesne until the late fourteenth century when part of the land was granted out for knight's service (3).

Few details of the settlement and its topography have come to light, but the earthworks surveyed do not appear to attest to a contraction of settlement. They can probably be best interpreted as field boundaries, for although the word 'garth' implies an enclosed yard, it can apply to a close surrounded with a wall. There is nothing now to suggest any archaeological significance in the name 'barrow' in this instance, either, and it may perhaps have been the name of a previous owner.

As indicated on the plan, the northern part of the site was under cultivation at the time of the survey, having been drawn to the Trust's attention when stones were first dug out (Fig 87). The principal feature is a north/south wall 130 metres long which consisted entirely of small ironstone rubble, presumably the remains of a drystone wall. There was no sign of any larger stone. A narrower wall of about the same length as the first ran parallel some 20 metres to the west. In the grass area to the south some of the ridges are on alignments which suggest continuation of the two walls. The outer ridge turns west, and the inner one appears to do the same, although the detail is less clear. The remaining earthworks may represent quarrying of former buildings, although there is one very regular narrow rectangular hollow in the south-west corner, 30 by 20 metres, which may indicate a robbed wall. South of this field possible tofts and crofts have been noted, but there is no evidence that the settlement was of any great size.

1. LAO,

2. Lincs DB, 37/2.

3. BF, 186, 1040; RH i, 329a; CI xvi, 85, 312.