Reasons for Designation
A medieval rectory was the official residence of a clergyman or rector who was
the cleric in charge of a parish, college, religious house or congregation.
The main components of a medieval rectory provided facilities for dwelling and
would have included domestic ranges, some of which may have been grouped
around a courtyard and may have contained offices and guest rooms. Additional
features may also include ancillary outbuildings for agricultural use and
storage, a precinct wall and a gatehouse. Medieval rectories contribute to
our understanding of the organisation of the medieval church. Their buildings
often include decoration and details which assist analysis and study of
changes in church architecture. All surviving examples retaining significant
medieval remains will be identified as nationally important.
The stone building in Adlingfleet is a unique survival of a medieval domestic
building in the region. Important buried remains of the medieval rectory will
also survive elsewhere across the rest of the building platform and adjoining
areas, along with well preserved organic deposits within the adjacent ditches
and lower lying parts. The rectory's connection with John Le Franceys, who
played a part in mid-13th century national politics, adds further importance
to the monument.
Details
The monument includes the standing remains of a medieval stone building
identified as the chamber built by John le Franceys, rector of Adlingfleet in
the mid-13th century. The monument also includes the surrounding area which is
considered to retain the buried remains of further medieval buildings and
associated features of a medieval rectory. It stands on the west bank of the
Old River Don, which was navigable in the Middle Ages, to the south of the
mainly mid-13th century parish church.
John le Franceys, who was a king's councillor as well as rector of
Adlingfleet, is recorded as having demolished the church at Whitgift, just
over 3km to the north west, in the mid-13th century and `scattering the stones
of the sanctuary, caused them to be carried away to Adlingfleet and built a
chamber for himself'. A pictorial map dating to c.1407 shows a stone building
next to a church in Adlingfleet which has been taken to be a representation of
the rectory.
The rectory shows signs of having been adapted and modified several times over
the centuries. The building, which is Listed Grade II*, has been roofless
since c.1970. It is formed of two storeys of limestone ashlar and coursed
rubble with a later inserted south gable wall of brick. It is has a 12th
century style round-headed arched doorway on the west side and a number of
other inserted openings, some of which have been blocked at a later date. The
first floor has also been reset or inserted after the building's original
construction. The limestone garden walling to the east of the medieval
building is constructed from fallen stone. The building as it survives is only
part of one range. The medieval rectory would have included further buildings,
typically arranged around a courtyard, possibly with additional outbuildings
and yards beyond. Buried remains of these buildings, together with rubbish
pits and other features, are considered to survive throughout the raised
platform upon which the building, and later brick built house and outbuildings
to the north, stand. This building platform is prominent and its surface rises
above that of the road to the north. It drops away to the south and west, with
the lower area to the west retaining some slight earthworks indicating further
buried remains. The area is bound to the south by a partly infilled drain and
to the west by a shallow linear hollow up to 25m wide which is considered to
be an infilled pond or moat ditch.
A number of features are excluded from the scheduling; these include the later
brick house and associated out buildings to the north of the medieval building
and all modern fences and path surfaces; although the ground beneath these
features is included.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
