Roman pottery and other finds were also whilst field walking in the 1970s and 1980s although not in a large enough quantity to suggest settlement.

The village is first mentioned during the reign of Henry 2 in 1154–1189 as ‘Dene’[3] deriving from the Old English ‘denu’ meaning valley.

[4] The church was restored in 1856, when the Norman revival chancel arch was built and the bell turret and spire were added.

This is just north of Priors Dean church, and is a 17th-century brick building with 18th-, late 19th- and early 20th-century alterations.

[8] This is about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Priors Dean, south of the road to Newton Valence, and was built in 1479.