'Commons' have been an important element in the mental concept and physical lay-out of English towns and cities since the Middle Ages. They are often believed to have served in the past exclusively as grazing land where livestock could wander freely (giving rise to another widely used term: 'stray'). But they were in fact intensively used for all manner of activities, from agriculture to industry, from military training to merry-making.
Like many medieval parks and later gardens, the creation of some commons served to protect much earlier archaeological remains. Today, commons are still the part of the open landscape most familiar to local urban populations. They are often regarded as green spaces whose value is primarily ecological, or for leisure activities. But they are also now some of the areas most at risk from the threat of urban expansion. Despite this, they have remained neglected in terms of research by historians and archaeologists.
The English Heritage research, which commenced early in 2003, comprised a small number of exemplary field investigations and detailed surveys carried out by English Heritage's Landscape Investigation Team, designed to illustrate the potential archaeological interest and importance of urban commons. Our interest in carrying out this research stems from an investigation undertaken in 1995 of Newcastle-upon-Tyne's Town Moor, which recorded two probable prehistoric settlements as well as evidence of mining, cultivation remains and traces of the 18th-century racecourse, all within a mile of the modern city centre. And all virtually overlooked by archaeologists, historians and those involved in the urban planning process.
