Preston common fields

HER Number:
753

District:
N Tyneside

Site Name:
Preston common fields

Place:
Preston

Map Sheet:
NZ36NW NZ37SW

Class:
Agriculture and Subsistence

Site Type: Broad:
Ridge and Furrow

Site Type: Specific:
Broad Ridge and Furrow

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:

Form of Evidence:
Earthwork

Description:
The township of Preston lay north and south of the village, but mostly west of a north-south line through the village itself. It is now almost entirely built over, or used for Tynemouth cemetery, playing fields, etc. Ridge and furrow, however, is known to have existed, either on aerial photographs or, until very recently, as actual earthworks, in 2 fields west of Preston North Road and on both sides of Beach Road. These were part of Mrs. Fielding's holding in 1757, and part of Preston Farm in 1842. The two fields were divided by 2 fences/hedges of different periods and slightly different alignments. They appear to cut a single block of ridge and furrow (19+ furrows), which tended to run roughly north-south, curving slightly west at the north end. The width of the ridges varied from 6 to 7.5 metres; a few appeared to be double-crested, thus producing some of only half the width.

Easting:
3493

Northing:
6990

Grid Reference:
NZ34936990

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 753 >> Aerial Photograph, North Tyneside MBC Technical Serv, 1981, run 4 frame 127 1757, Preston, Shelf 21 no. 27 -Northumberland Records Office, Watson Collection Tithe Award, 1842, Preston, DT 383 M -Northumberland Records Office H.H.E. Craster, 1907, Preston Township, Northumberland County History, VIII, 342-45; English Heritage, 2008, Hadrian's Wall National Mapping Programme, 1401274; Aerial Photographs RAF/58/C/3 5044 and 5079 14-APR-1949, NMR NZ 3769/76 (19864/73) 14-MAR-2001