The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Cockermouth, Cumbria: archaeological investigation of three burgage plots in Main Street

Cockermouth, Cumbria: archaeological investigation of three burgage plots in Main Street
Cockermouth, Cumbria: archaeological investigation of three burgage plots in Main Street
In 1980 and 1981, three former burgage plots on Main Street, Cockermouth, opposite the road to the Harris Bridge over the River Derwent, and almost opposite William Wordsworth's birthplace, became available for excavation by the then Cumbria and Lancashire Archaeological Unit. The site may have been occupied from c 1200 continuously to the present day and, after a variety of ownerships, became part of the Lowther estate from 1761. Opportunities for intensive examination of a significant area at the core of an urban centre are rare, and the three plots proved rewarding. In keeping with burgage plots elsewhere, domestic dwellings fronted the street, while to their rear there were ancillary buildings, refuse pits, and a well, and behind those, elements of buildings used for agricultural or industrial purposes. Building materials included timber and then clay, followed by brick and stone, and with some evidence of roofing slate. Careful examination of the excavation evidence revealed successive rebuildings, particularly around 1700, and a variety of forms of stairs, hearths, and windows. The findings have been analysed and written up by Oxford Archaeology North in association with Roger Leech (a former director of the organisation and the site director), and with an historical background by Angus Winchester that puts their development in context. They both enhance our knowledge of the early history of Cockermouth and contribute valuable comparative material about the development of urban settlements in the region.
978-1873124-56-7
Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society
Leech, Roger
bb3e95d6-3201-47a8-a890-0ebc235e8b1f
Gregory, Richard
8517b9af-cd8d-4c85-a237-be4546c7bc27
Leech, Roger
bb3e95d6-3201-47a8-a890-0ebc235e8b1f
Gregory, Richard
8517b9af-cd8d-4c85-a237-be4546c7bc27

Leech, Roger and Gregory, Richard (2012) Cockermouth, Cumbria: archaeological investigation of three burgage plots in Main Street (Cumbria Archaeological Research Reports, 3), vol. 3, Kendal, GB. Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 80pp.

Record type: Book

Abstract

In 1980 and 1981, three former burgage plots on Main Street, Cockermouth, opposite the road to the Harris Bridge over the River Derwent, and almost opposite William Wordsworth's birthplace, became available for excavation by the then Cumbria and Lancashire Archaeological Unit. The site may have been occupied from c 1200 continuously to the present day and, after a variety of ownerships, became part of the Lowther estate from 1761. Opportunities for intensive examination of a significant area at the core of an urban centre are rare, and the three plots proved rewarding. In keeping with burgage plots elsewhere, domestic dwellings fronted the street, while to their rear there were ancillary buildings, refuse pits, and a well, and behind those, elements of buildings used for agricultural or industrial purposes. Building materials included timber and then clay, followed by brick and stone, and with some evidence of roofing slate. Careful examination of the excavation evidence revealed successive rebuildings, particularly around 1700, and a variety of forms of stairs, hearths, and windows. The findings have been analysed and written up by Oxford Archaeology North in association with Roger Leech (a former director of the organisation and the site director), and with an historical background by Angus Winchester that puts their development in context. They both enhance our knowledge of the early history of Cockermouth and contribute valuable comparative material about the development of urban settlements in the region.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 2012
Organisations: Archaeology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 347428
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/347428
ISBN: 978-1873124-56-7
PURE UUID: a23ace7e-76f1-4f48-b756-7a063b408ed3

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 22 Jan 2013 10:07
Last modified: 11 Dec 2021 01:23

Export record

Contributors

Author: Roger Leech
Author: Richard Gregory

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×