Municipality Braunston | ||
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The lost village of Braunston Cleves or Fawcliff once stood north of the village of Braunston in the English county of Northamptonshire. The village stood on the southwest slope of Cleve’s hill within the parish of Braunston. The history of this settlement is virtually unknown. It is thought that the settlement was part of the 11th-century manor which belonged to William Trusbott. The settlement passed to his daughter, Agatha Meinfelin, who in turn left the village to Delapré Abbey in Northampton. A charter of Edward III confirming the possessions of Delapré Abbey mentions a place called Fawcliff near Braunston. Nothing is known of why the village was deserted but it had certainly been destroyed by the 18th century.
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Remains today
The remains of the village can be found at the head of a small valley where there is a spring. The village stood on the west bank of the water course. There is a series of depressions and platforms which were probably the sites of dwellings. Below the stream at the southern end of the site there are several ditched enclosures along which the stream flows today.
Surrounding settlements
In close vicinity to the lost village there are three other villages and one small hamlet called Little Braunston. The villages are called Braunston, Braunstonbury and Wolfhampcote of which the last two are both deserted villages.