Land to the Rear of Marton Hall and Glebe Farm, Moor Road, Marton, Cumbria- Desk-based Assessment and Standing Building Assessment

Oxford Archaeology North (OA North) was commissioned by Datum Design Company in January 2008 to undertake a desk-based assessment of land to the rear of Marton Hall and Glebe Farm, Marton, Cumbria (centred on NGR SD 2401 7715), together with a standing building assessment of an outbuilding outlined for demolition. Planning permission was granted by Barrow Borough Council for the erection of four dwellings (planning reference 6/06/0085), conditional upon carrying out an archaeological investigation prior to any construction works. To this end, Cumbria County Council issued a brief in June 2007, but after further consideration of the planning application, a second brief was issued in July 2007 to include recommendations for a desk-based assessment and standing building assessment. The results will be used to inform any further requirement for archaeological work.
Marton is referred to as ‘Meretun’ or ‘settlement by a lake’ in the Domesday Survey. The present day village exhibits the ancient pattern of settlements in this area, originally concentrated around tarns; Marton is located just to the north of Tarn Flat. In 1190, Marton was recorded as a grange (a farm of about 100 acres) belonging to Furness Abbey. The abbey was situated to the south of Dalton-in-Furness, and founded in 1127 by Stephen, then Count of Boulogne and Mortain and later (1135-1154) King of England. The abbey’s possessions included most of the great peninsula of Furness (though not the neighbouring one of Cartmel), with its forests to the north and rich agricultural land to the south, and the history of Furness soon became synonymous with that of its abbey. Benefactions were steadily flowing in to Furness Abbey, and by gift and purchase important property was acquired deep into the Lake District and over into Yorkshire. Under the guidance of successive abbots, the economy of Furness greatly improved, owning a number of mills and overseeing the development of sheep farming in the area. The abbot’s secular court was held at Dalton and in 1239 the town was granted its royal charter, the first in Furness. The charter came with a permit to hold a weekly market and annual fair.