Medieval Food & Farming
Medieval Times (1066 - 1485)
During the Medieval period, the countryside was probably the most open it has ever been with no hedges between strips in the open fields.
Early Medieval Food & Farming
In the first part of the medieval period, up until AD 1250, the climate was mild, warm and dry. Agriculture spread onto low-lying areas, woodland and hay meadows were carefully managed.
New settlements, like that within Castle Hill, appeared. Beech charcoal has been found in the pits from the Castle Hill settlement, so possibly there were beech trees on the hilltop even back then.
Mid Medieval Food & Farming
The climate worsened during the mid Medieval period, and famine and disease (most famously the Black Death) followed in the 14th century. The population decrease lead to many outlying farms being abandoned.
With this came a shift towards sheep farming. Fleeces were collected and shipped out via Abingdon and later Reading. Arable farming continued to be very important locally.
Late Medieval Food & Farming
In the post-medieval period the manor passed into private hands, and enclosure gradually replaced the open fields.
