Record Details
| NHER Number: | 10886 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Possible site of medieval manor house, Fiddlers Dykes |
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Summary
An unusual moat exists here. It consists of the east and north sides of one enclosure overlapped by another north arm, further north, running from a west arm, but both sharing one common south arm. In the north corner of this moat the site of a medieval manor belonging to the ‘Vise-de-Lou' has been noted. The fact that the nearby fields have the name ‘Fiddlers’ and ‘Fiddlers Meadow’ may relate to an adaptation of the name of the manor house over time (i.e. Vise-de-Lou to Vidlers to Fiddlers). In 1970 some of the moat was filled in during the construction of a poultry house here, but by 1997 it seems the moat had largely been ploughed out and destroyed.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TM 098 848 |
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| Map Sheet: | TM08SE |
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| Parish: | SHELFANGER, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Moat (OS).
Unusual form, consisting of east and north sides of one enclosure overlapped by another north arm further north running from a west arm, but both sharing one common south arm.
A further enclosure, rectangular, to west.
Details from 1957 6in Ordnance Survey.
1832 tithe map is identical except that dry north arm of west enclosure not shown.
R. R. Clarke (NCM) notes - 'small earthwork at north corner, site of manor of Vise-de-Lou'.
(S1) (checked) explains development of names Vise-de-Lou (Wolf-face) to Vidlers to Fiddlers. (Probably aided by Norfolk name Fiddlers Hill and 'fiddler' as name for Devil - E.Rose (NAU)).
Clarke (NCM) also calls site 'Ancient Monument 76' but it was never scheduled, and gives reference (S2) (not checked).
Tithe map simply calls the moat 'moat' but gives the names 'Fiddlers' or 'Fiddlers Meadow' etc. to the surrounding fields.
E. Rose (NAU) 8 February 1982.
Southeast part of site, although still marked as L-shaped water filled feature on modern Ordnance Survey, has been completely filled in and ploughed over. This done in 1970 when earth from construction of nearby poultry unit was dumped in moat. All that remain is northwest feature. This a ditch 120m long, 2.5m deep V-shaped at north end. Holding water to south fringed by scrub to east, old coppiced trees to west. (Tradition mentions site of church?).
H. Paterson (NLA) 24 March 1997.
24 April 1997.
Noted by D.Edwards (NLA) as freshly ploughed out and destroyed.
E. Rose (NLA) 25 April 1997.
Monument Types
- MANOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. NHER10886. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: OS 73-359-038. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: OS 73-359-039. |
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TM 08 SE 3. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Shelfanger. |
| <S1> | Monograph: Reany, P.H.. 1961. Origin of English Place-Names.. |
| <S2> | Serial: S.H.A.H.. Shotley Parish Registers.. Suffolk Green Books. Vol XVI, pp 168-9. |
Related records - none
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