History of a Village: Freckleton

Page 4 of 10

• 1. A brief history
• 2. First steps
• 3. History detective
• 4. Medieval Freckleton
• 5. Village life and families
• 6. The Marsh
• 7. Churches and schools
• 8. Trade and Industry
• 9. Using oral sources
• 10. Finishing touches
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Medieval Freckleton

This section of the book discussed the origins and medieval development of Freckleton and was largely based on previously published material. But wherever possible I included recent academic research - for example, new interpretations of the place-name Freckleton.

Researching the medieval period was a surprise because of the amount of information available. Monastic charters are a rich source - many have been transcribed and published - but those relevant to Freckleton remain unpublished and I was especially grateful that the keeper of the archives where they are deposited sent me his own transcripts.

'... they recorded field names which could still be identified on the 1838 tithe map ... '

The medieval charters provided a wealth of information about the village. They named many residents and provided valuable evidence for 13th-century farming practices.

Perhaps most importantly, they recorded field names which could still be identified on the 1838 tithe map, making it possible to pinpoint locations where people lived and worked 700 or more years ago. Discovering that sort of link with the past can be very moving for the local historian and fascinates readers and listeners today.

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Published: 2005-03-03