NHER 8808 (Monument record) - Possible site of medieval castle, Scoulton

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is a filtered version of the Norfolk HER intended for casual research. Please to consult the full record.

See also further .

Summary

An oval enclosure is recorded half a mile north of Abergavenny Farm. It is believed that this is the earthwork of the castle built by Constantine Mortimer that was licensed by Edward II. The site was ploughed in 1945 but the damage this may have caused has not been determined. It has been suggested that the castle site lies to the south (NHER 8809) but it still unclear where exactly the castle was situated. A study of enclosure and tithe maps has not provided any place name evidence to indicate where the medieval castle stood.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TF90SE
Civil Parish SCOULTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Oval enclosure 0.5 miles north of Abergavenny Farm.
Earthworks of castle of Constantine Mortimer, licensed 13 Edward II (=1319) (S1) probably older motte and bailey castle founded on same site.
Sketched by Reverend James Bulwer in around 1830 according to B. Cozens-Hardy (1952 in scrapbook). (See sketch in file: shows rectangular foundations in circular enclosure with outer bailey crossed by causeway - E. Rose (NAU).)
Ploughed 1945; see RAF aerial photographs; visited by R. R. Clarke (NCM) 22 December 1958.
Copy of NCM card by R. R. Clarke (NCM).

R. R. Clarke (NCM) does not give his evidence for this actual spot being the site, and does not say whether he found anything on his visit or whether the ploughing had destroyed any evidence. Paul Rutledge (NRO) says study of documents leads him to believe that NHER 8809 to south is really the castle site. (S2) marks this area as Abergavenny Wood; on the 1806 enclosure map and the tithe map of around 1840 fields are marked, with nothing to suggest the site.
E. Rose (NAU) 17 March 1982.

  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Scoulton.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • --- Serial: 1958. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries. Vol 5. p 4.
  • <S1> Serial: Blomefield, F.. 1805. An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk.. Vol II.
  • <S2> Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797.

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Jul 4 2016 4:04PM

Comments and Feedback

Your feedback is welcome; if you can provide any new information about this record, please contact the Norfolk Historic Environment Record.