Monument record MDR10007 - Medieval and post-medieval occupation, west side of Mill Street, Clowne

Excavations on a site on Mill Street, Clowne, revealed that the site marked the western extent of the 12th to 13th century settlement, with strip fields to the north. An early tenement plot was located that contained evidence of stone-lined drains and light industrial, metal working industry. In the 14th century the town expanded westwards, with a large plan unit being laid out further west along the High Street. Mill Street was also probably laid out during this period, and the excavation revealed small gullies and possible beam slots on a different alignment from the previous period which suggests a total redevelopment of the plot. In the late medieval and early post-medieval periods the site was abandoned, and a layer of colluvium built up on the frontage. There is ephemeral structural evidence for reoccupation in the 17th century; however, the next major building phase was associated with the 18th century mill that occupied the Mill Street frontage. In the 19th century houses were constructed along the eastern perimeter of the site. (1) Excavated sequence suggests that the site of Mill Street marked the western extent of the 12th to 13th century settlement, with burgage plots running off what today is Church Street, and medieval strip fields lying in the surrounding area. The remains of small ditches on a north-south allignment almost certainly relates to plot divisions. This suggests that the settlement may have been bigger, extending to the church, or the church may have been built deliberately away from the settlement. Possible beam slots on a different allignment to the previous period were uncovered, suggesting at some stage a total realignment of the plots. The constituents of the pottery assemblage excavated confirms that Brackenfield was only one of a number of potteries exploiting the Coal Measures clays, fitting with results from excavations in Chesterfield (unknown or unlisted date). The widespread distribution nationally of similar clays suggests that probably large potteries were supplying both villages such as Clowne and the larger centre of Chesterfield. The definition of two new fabric types amongst the Shell Tempered wares makes the assemblage of considerable regional significance. (2)