NHER 7403 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Earthworks of a medieval moated site and undated drainage channels

Moat noted by R. R. Clarke (NCM) in field called Ingworth Hall Meadow. (S1) shows a complex of earthworks surrounding it, probably drainage ditches.

March 1978. Visit.
This is almost certainly not a moat. However see further NAU aerial photographs which show a more moat like feature on northwest of above 'moat' in Ingworth parish, probably same as earthworks referred to.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 May 1981.

The island is very marshy and hardly higher than the water level in the ditches; that on north is very wide and deep. A wet ditch not marked on Ordnance Survey but not recently dug crosses the island east to west. If this is the site of Ingworth Hall, why does the parish boundary make a diversion to include it in Aylsham? The earthworks to north are mostly drainage ditches, but there are some large banks around 1.2m (4 foot) high amongst them that might conceivably be the hall site. However the 'moat' is surely a carr like those to east and south.

1982. Earthwork Survey.
Survey by NARG. See report (S2) for plan and further details.
Report seems to confirm from documentary evidence that the feature mentioned above is indeed the hall site, though much confused by drainage works. No finds made in molehills.
E. Rose (NAU), 29 March 1983.

13 July 1993. NLA air photography (S4).
The earthworks of the partially moated hall site are clearly visible within a network of more modern drainage channels.
S. Massey (NLA), 12 February 2001.

19 July 1994. NLA air photography (S5).
Moated enclosure of Ingworth Hall visible.
S. Massey (NLA), 18 April 2001.

October 1999. Earthwork Survey.
Survey at 1:1000, amending that of 1982.
Known as Hall Meadow, the earthworks are a rather confusing mix of a moated enclosure assumed to be the hall site, a series of ditched enclosures to the north, and a less convincing ditched platform to the east. The whole area has extensive amorphous undulations, in part probably natural, some of them possibly the result of piecemeal extraction.
See report (S3) for plan and further details. This site was included in (S6) and the survey is also noted in (S7).
D. Holburn (HES), 21 November 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 2 March 2015.

November 2002. Visited.
Site under pasture grazed by sheep. A few old thorn trees. Whole field wet with much reedy grass.
H. Paterson (A&E), 28 January 2003.

March 2023. Aylsham and Brampton Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
Earthworks relating to a previously recorded (see above) probable medieval moated manorial site are seen on aerial photographs and recent (2017) visualised lidar data (S8-18). A moated enclosure (centred at approximately TG 1979 2897) with a slightly raised interior has been mapped in the south of the site. Pits and two small mounds can be seen within the interior of the enclosure. It is possible that the raised area within the enclosure may relate to a building platform, although no clear evidence of building remains were recorded. A second moated enclosure is visible to the east (centred at approximately TG 1990 2892) of the first enclosure. Across the site a series of ditches, pits and banks which may relate to boundaries, drains, ponds and trackways associated with the possible manor have been recorded. Multiple later post-medieval and modern drains can also be seen across the site, and it is possible that some of the mapped features may relate to modern or natural features. The site is clearly visible on the recent (2017) visualised lidar data (S18) as well as 1940s vertical aerial photographs (S8), CUCAP oblique aerial photographs (S9) and NAPL oblique aerial photographs (S10-S15). Some of the features seen on the aerial photographs appear to have been levelled over time. The earthworks visible on the visualised lidar data likely still survive, as the lidar survey was flown relatively recently. For further discussion see project report (S19).
The mapped extent of this site has been slightly amended [2].
J. Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 29 March 2023.