NHER 10630 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Medieval moat and associated enclosures

16 September 1945. Ordnance Survey/RAF air photographs of ditches and banks.
R.R. Clarke (NCM).

Moat. See NAU air photograph.
E. Rose (NAU).

1945 RAF air photograph shows moated enclosure with linear depression (pond?) to south. Channel extends west from southwest corner of moat.

September 1997. Field Observation.
Visit confirmed site is now arable land, but the moat still shows as slight depression, with lusher vegetation growth, on stubble.
B. Cushion (NLA), 24 September 1997.

June 2006. Norfolk NMP
Earthworks and cropmarks of a medieval moat and associated enclosures are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S9). The central grid reference for this site has been amended from TM 3100 9150 to TM 3100 9161. The moat is situated in the southeast corner of this group of earthworks at TM 3116 9157. It has a sub-rectangular plan with internal dimensions of 50m by 45m and ditches of up to 11m in width. It is likely that this moat relates to a medieval manor or other settlement site. A rectangular pit or pond, measuring 10m by 7-5m, is present in the southwest corner of the moated enclosure. Other sub-circular ponds are present outside of the moat. Linear ditches lead away from the moat in all directions. To its south they define at least two sub-rectangular enclosures, which measure 57m by 29m and 33m by 14m internally. Immediately to the north of the moat are incomplete polygonal enclosures. Further to the north, just to the south of Spinks’ Lane at TM 3112 9169, are a group of three adjoining enclosures. These are sub-rectangular and trapezoidal in plan and range in size from 38m by 15m to 32m by 25m. These enclosures are defined by ditches of up to 2.5m in width. The ditches associated with the moat all appear to be fed from the west and three drainage ditches diverge at TM 3093 9155 in the western half of the site. They spread out from a rectilinear pattern of drainage ditches that are probably of post medieval date. An incomplete broad ring ditch earthwork is located at TM 3087 9151. The ditches are up to 3.5m wide and enclose a central platform with a 12m diameter. It is possible that this feature relates to a dovecote associated with the moated site. The site was present as earthworks in pasture fields in 1945 (S3). At that time structures associated with a World War Two bomb store were present in the western part of the site (NHER 41373). These structures had been removed and the western part of the site had been ploughed by 1963 (S4). The moat and other ditches at the eastern end of the site were still present as earthworks at that date. By 1967 the moat and other earthworks had also been ploughed and were visible as soilmarks (S5). Later aerial photographs show the site as cropmarks and soilmarks (S1-S2, S6-S9).
J. Albone (NMP), 26 June 2006