Newbottle

In 1086 Newbottle had a population of 32 households, including 15 slaves, although these figures probably included nearby Charlton and Purston. The Lay Subsidy rolls of 1301 list 23 taxpayers in Newbottle, with the richest individuals markedly more affluent than their counterparts in Charlton. Part of the land was enclosed shortly before 1500 and six houses taken down. By 1524 the settlement held only three taxpayers and sheep farming was widespread in the area by 1550, suggesting significant depopulation. The population later recovered, with around 40 families resident early in the 18th century and thirty-eight men aged between 18 and 45 in 1777, but the village was eventually abandoned…