St Michael's Green - South Elmham St Michael, Suffolk - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

An information board and map outside St Michael's church, South Elmham St Michael, with a short history of St Michael's Green.

"The green is first mentioned in 1321, when it was called Hushaghgrene. This means the green with the hus 'house' and the hagi 'grazing enclosure'. It was not called St Michael's Green until the 16th century. Grazing rights on the 20½ acres of this common pasture belonged to the houses surrounding it.

St Michael's Green is unusual in having the parish church on its edge. Most greens occur on poor quality land on the edge of parishes, away from the principal manor and church. The church is recorded in Domesday Book, and is likely to be older than the green.

The medieval commoners dug a large ditch around the edge of the green. It prevented their grazing animals from escaping. There are linear depressions across the green, which may be drainage ditches or show how the grazers divided up the land. When the sun is low in the sky, it is possible to see a carsner. Farmers would use the carsner or raised path to cross the green from their homes to the church.

Moats were the status symbol of the Middle Ages. Manoral lords, churchmen and freeholder farmers would dig a moat around their homes, to show their status in society. The moat at Grace Farm was dug to surround a probable medieval parsonage."

SOURCE - info board

Type of Historic Marker: Information board and map Give your Rating: Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Not listed Age/Event Date: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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