By the 13th Century, the Cotswold landscape was dotted with a network of villages. However, with the Black Death of 1348/9, many communities were weakened and depleted. As the price of wool rose in the 14th Century, landowners realised they could make more profit by turning their arable land over to pastoral sheep farming. Consequently more communities were broken up, resulting in deserted villages such as Lower Lemington or Upper and Middle Ditchford. The earthworks of these settlements can be traced and some, for instance Upton near Blockley, have been subject to systematic archaeological excavation. We will examine the causes of desertion and the character of the deserted Cotswold village. There will be a field trip to visit several sites near Farncombe, travelling in students’ cars.