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Newport History Society
comments and objections to
TWC/2011/0916
Complied by: Miss T Maclean (President), Mrs Linda Fletcher, BA, BPhil, AMA (Archivist),
and Julian Meeson (Field Activities Co-ordinator)and Bryan Lloyd (Committee Member)
This document looks at two government documents in relation to the area , which chiefly
focusses on the Black Butts field ( aka 'pony paddock'), immediately to the west of Station
Road. The report then continues on to an historical summary of this particular area and
detailing finds and documents.
We object to the loss of Heritage Assets and refer to these government documents:
A. PPS5 Planning for the Historic Environment: Historic Environment Planning
Practice Guide (23.03.2010)
The historic environment is a rich and diverse part of England’s cultural heritage. It
takes in all aspects of the environment as a whole that have been shaped through
human activity. The value of the historic environment, and the contribution it makes to
our cultural, social and economic life, is set out in The Government’s Statement on the
Historic Environment for England 2010
It states that:

The historic environment provides a tangible link with our past and
contributes to our sense of national, local and community identity.

It also provides the character and distinctiveness that is so important to a
positive sense of place.

It can support the regeneration and sustainable economic and social
development of our communities.

It can assist in the delivery of housing, education and community cohesion
aims.

It is a key part of England’s tourism offer.
Discussion:
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It cannot be emphasised enough that the historic environment is a non-renewable resource.
Once the medieval ridge and furrow (mentioned later in this report)– a valuable asset for teaching
medieval history in an agricultural town and for tourism - is gone, the huge asset of being able to
show children and tourists the actual thing, will be lost for not just the children, but for everyone
for ever.
PPS5 says of heritage assets that; “It provides character . . . and sense of place” - exactly!
Newport – a medieval town in the middle of a farming community needs to be able to show it's
ONE remaining piece of medieval ridge and furrow.
PPS5 says of heritage assets that; “It is a key part of England’s tourism offer.” This heritage
asset has not been recognised until recently, but could very easily be part of heritage walks
down Newport's medieval High Street for tourists.
And
B. Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development, ODPM (2005)
(PPS1)
… planning should facilitate and promote sustainable and inclusive patterns of urban
and rural development by [amongst other things] protecting and enhancing the natural
and historic environment, the quality and character of countryside, and existing
communities.
Discussion:
The area concerned enhances the historic environment, as discussed above. It also
enhances the natural environment. Because this field has not been ploughed since medieval
times – hence the survival of the ridge and furrow - it also has a wide range of flora and fauna
(see objections by ecologists Roy Fussell and Luke Yarrington)
Summary of these fields from a historical perspective.
The areas in this report are the fields to the west of the lower part of Station Road:
traditionally called the Black Butts and Near Butts, Perkins Meadow, and possibly part of the
Far Field. The Black Butts being the most significant. Although Newport was founded in the
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Middle Ages, the history of Newport and these southern areas of Church Aston and
Chetwynd Aston goes back further than even than our Anglo Saxon heritage.
Water and geology
Newport and surrounding areas have very distinct areas of sand/ sandstone and heavy
boggy clay. Water features strongly in the landscape and history of the area. After the last
Ice Age, the ‘melt water’ left meandering rivers, marshes and springs and pools in the largely
flat areas. All around the town there were and still are areas with springs. In medieval times
the Wallshead spring supplied the town with water. In the 19th century the Springfields area of
the town, just north of these fields, supplied the town’s brewery via their own well. On the Far
Field the town’s water supply was extracted in the 3 rd half of the 19th century from Baddelys
Wells. Brooks, and ditches go right across these fields and the Black Butts still has a pond
and brook.
Prehistory
Our earliest history in the Newport area relates to people manufacturing many flints in the
Norbroom area from about 8,500BP, but at least one Mesolithic Age flint blade (c.6,5003,500BC) has come to light just on the east side of Station Road. The Neolithic Age is
considered to have occurred here from about 4,000 years ago and ancient settlement
boundaries of Newport and Church Aston can be seen on the 1840-42 tithe apportionment
maps. Many Neolithic flints have been found in the Norbroom area. Finds from the Bronze
Age have been discovered in the Pave Lane/ Woodcote area show very early bronze working
taking place - again very close to this area. (Because the Black Butts field has always been
under pasture, finds are not easy to come across when walking paths.)
Iron Age and Roman period
Regarding the Iron Age, a farmstead with earthworks is at Pave Lane (circa ¼ mile from the
proposed development). It was the subject of a detailed archaeological investigation in 1990
by Mike Watson and Shropshire C.C. At Littlehales Road, there is the possibility of an Iron
Age hill fort on a hill that runs straight into the Far Field and the Black Butts. Neolithic log
boats have also been found in boggy areas of the locality. This is an area with a wealth of
early activity.
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Tracks and roads
Station Road is the main ancient track into Newport.
There are many paths, track ways and roads of various dates running through this area. They
merge in this area and move towards the town at this southerly entrance. Research into the
waters of Newport by Newport History Society indicate that the best place to cross the
‘Newport Pool’ and the ‘Great Marsh’ was by using the route to the west.
We believe that
somewhere - close the existing bridge site in the town or slightly eastwards - was a ford.
One track leads in a north/ south direction from the Woodcote/Heath Hill area to the Black
Butts field. Another moves along the Church Aston /Chetwynd Aston, again to Station Road,
along the Anglo Saxon boundary. Another from Field/Chetwynd Aston northwards towards
the Custard fields and thence to Station Road. As well as tracks in a north south axis, there
are tracks of the ancient east-west trade route to Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Viking lands
east of this.
O.S. maps say that there was also a Roman road. The history society do not know the
evidence that caused this to be designated in 1881, but we do know that the north south
road leading up to Newport is called ‘Pave Lane’ (indicating that it was metalled) and, also,
that Anglo Saxon Newport (Plaesc) had a ‘heh straete’ (High street) in AD963.
The Roman period
Apart from the indication of street names, mentioned, above, Newport History Society has
two Roman finds from the Black Butts field. Additionally, there are Roman villas identified at
Edgmond and Forton.
The Anglo Saxon Period
Boundaries of both Plæsc (Newport), Eastun (Church Aston) and Chetwynd Aston become
joined in these fields. The borders were noted in AD 963 and Professor HPR Finberg
identified ‘Eastun’ in his monograph: Early Charters of the West Midlands (1961) as being
Church Aston. The Anglo Saxon boundary of Eastun has a joint boundary with Newport and
as a result of this, Newport has now been identified as ‘Plæsc’. This is further explained in
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our booklets: The History of Church Aston Boundary (2007) and The Saxon Boundary of
Newport (2008).
Although some of the landmarks of the Plæsc boundary have not yet been confirmed by the
research of other historians, the Society is clear that the Anglo Saxon boundary of Church
Aston and Newport ran along these southerly fields. Firstly, it ran from the top of ‘The Dale’ to
the Far Field, and from there to the Black Butts – this is still the Church Aston/ Chetwynd
Aston boundary and still a well used public footpath. Secondly, carrying on towards the east,
to beyond Station Road, the route is now the Plæsc / Chetwynd Aston boundary and it
carries on along the boundary of the Near and Far Custards and along to the borders of the
Great Marsh to the east of Station Road
Medieval Period
Farming in Newport in medieval times was was on the open field system and ridge and
furrow still survive here in the Black Butts field ( aka pony paddock). This means that these
survivals are very unusual because it means that this field has not been ploughed since
medieval times – otherwise it would not have survived. (Because the Black Butts field has
always been under pasture, finds are easy to come across when walking paths.) A medieval
moated site is situated at Upper Bar - a few hundreds yards to the north, and another a
manor house is at Lillehales Manor - about ¼ mile to the south on Littlehales Road.
In this area Henry Tudor (later Henry V11) mustered troops for the Lancastrian side at Pave
Lane before moving on to the battle of Bosworth in 1487.
Civil War
The town changed sides during the Civil War several times. Skirmishes happened in the
town. There are military Civil War finds from all over Newport, including the fields on both
sides of Station Road. Our military historian, Julian Meeson, considers that either Royalists or
Parliamentarian were guarding the road into Newport or that they were attacking Church
Aston (this being a Royalist stronghold – Longford Hall). There are no documentary records
so, an archaeological excavation of this area should be undertaken.
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Detailed analysis of documents and finds
1. ‘Black Butts’ derivation. Some claim it to be derived from irregularly shaped land where
two fields met and butted up with each other and/ or particularly where the ridge and furrow
butted onto another open field. These butts probably do not relate to shooting butts, but it
cannot be ruled out. (John Field's English Field Names, 1973)
2. Roman spindle whorl. Find recorded with Portable Antiquities Scheme HESH9455B1
3. Roman snake ring. Find recorded with Portable Antiquities Scheme
4. Civil War musket balls – many. Some recorded with Portable Antiquities Scheme HESH94DA34
5. Civil War canon balls - . Several - one recorded with Portable Antiquities Scheme HESH94533
6. Ridge and Furrow, ditches and brook Heritage Environment record HER (PRN)28110
7.Roman road at Pave Lane coming in to Newport HERITAGE ENVIRONMENT RECORD
HER(PRN) 01387
8. Ancient spring in unimproved field (see aerial photo below)
9. Anglo Saxon Boundary Charter. The Anglo Saxon boundary, here, runs from the ‘dices
geate’ (Excavation done by Birmingham, University PRN 00803 top of The Dale) to the ’threo
dicas’ (three ditches) possibly in the region of Baddeleys Wells.
Research: Transactions of Shropshire Arch. Society, Three Anglo-Saxon Boundaries, HPR
Finberg , Early Charters of the West Midlands HPR Finberg (1961), Newport History
Society, The Saxon Boundary of Newport (2008)
10. Aerial photo see below
1983 Shropshire Archives SA-IMG66392
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Other fields nearby: Far Field, Near Butts, and Perkins Meadow which seem to be in
the area of development
Baddeleys Wells were established pre 1881 OS maps, but could be the site of earlier wells or
pond with domestic or religious significance
Anglo Saxon Boundary Charter. The boundary here runs from the ‘dices geate’ to the ’threo
dicas’ (three ditches) in the region of Baddeleys Wells. A S border research: Transactions of
Shropshire Arch. Society, Three Anglo-Saxon Boundaries, HPR Finberg , Early Charters of the
West Midlands HPR Finberg (1961), Newport History Society, The Saxon Boundary of Newport
(2008)