NHER 9876 (Monument record) - Remains of Bixley Hall and ornamental gardens and moat

Site of hall built in 1565, rebuilt pre 1719 in Queen Anne style with three facades.
It had fine iron railings and a 'canal'. See (S1). Ordnance Survey say the cellars and garden walls remain; the ditches around are ornamental but that on the south may be part of the original moat.
E. Rose (NAU) 26 October 1977.

January 1979.
Ditch along south side is of huge size, about 15m wide, 2.5m deep, dry and overgrown with trees. Ditch on the west is narrow, waterfilled and crossed by a bridge; not narrower than some 16th century moats, but comparing it with the size of the south arm, OS are probably right in suggesting it is ornamental. Curving wet ditch on the north is certainly so; no ditch on the east. Central island overgrown with trees, one very large and old. Cellars (side walls only) occupy whole area of hall, and consist of at least three rooms, one very large. Brickwork judged by size could well be 16th century, but is probably from the later house and locally made. Some small round headed niches survive. Fragments of garden walls, mostly on the east, including a curving ?flight of steps. The bricks of these, though similar in size, are plum coloured and of better quality than those in the cellars.
E. Rose (NAU) 24 January 1979.

The hall was demolished in 1904. Before this it was visited by the architects of Little Massingham House (NHER 22260) which is supposed to be built in imitation of its 'character and design'. Hall is said on (S1) (listing for Little Massingham House) to have been built by John Bixton in about 1714.
E. Rose (NAU) 24 February 1986.

Site scheduled 1998. See (S3) in file which includes garden features.

Visited with agent to assist with the erection of posts to delineate the scheduled area. This action abandoned due to small scale map giving insufficient information. Second visit with B.Cushion (NLA) to be arranged.
H.Paterson (A&E) 22 December 1998.

Visited to mark out the boundaries of the scheduled area, at the request of owner's agent. This was a difficult operation due to small scale map and lack of fixed points. Some masonry structures standing to 0.5 m (max) still identifiable under bramble/ nettle cover, in area to east of Hall site.
H. Paterson (A&E) 24 November 1999.

(S2) in file.

December 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The remains of the ornamental water-filled ditches and moat to the south of the Hall are visible on aerial photographs (S5). Possible elements of garden features and divisions were also identified to the east of the Hall, however the majority of the site was obscured by trees.
S. Horlock (NMP), 21 December 2009.