Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Including moated site to northwest.
Twelve tenants in 1410. Only one message in mid 16th century. Name preserved by farm to west in East Rudham parish. Church was dedicated to St John the Evangelist, and was destroyed pre temp Elizabeth I, but Bryant claimed to see traces of it around 1900 (or was he quoting old sources?). Skeletons were discovered in 1863.
However (S1) suggests this is not Broomsthorpe at all but Tattersett St Andrew, Broomsthorpe being somewhere west of the river.

1968.
Medieval sherds found by P. Wade-Martins (NAU).

1973.
Cropmark of enclosure containing a building noted by A. Gregory (NAU) on Ordnance Survey aerial photographs.
E. Rose (NAU).

N. Batcock believes that Sengham and Broomsthorpe are the same, and that site NHER 13256 (q.v.) does not exist. See (S2).
E. Rose (NAU).

Reference (S2) suggests Sengham is what is now the north part of Gatesend.

1 December 1987.
Massive earthworks.
Grassland perhaps 'improved' but earthworks still intact, especially in northeast corner where they appear to be considerable foundations, quite possibly the church. However only brief visit, needs detailed examination.
E. Rose (NAU) 2 December 1987.

April 1989. Context 2. South edge of ploughed moated site, casual finds.
Two medieval unglazed and one Glazed Grimston.
A. Rogerson (NAU) 18 May 1989.

October 1990. Scheduled.
Scheduled description:
The monument comprises the well preserved remains of an abandoned rural settlement. The village is located on a tributary of the River Wensum and was occupied in the Medieval period. It may be the lost village of Sengham whose church was abandoned after being given to Castle Acre Priory. In 1410 the village is recorded as having 12 tenants, however, by the middle of the 16th century it was all but abandoned; a fate shared by up to a quarter of the village settlements of Medieval England.
Many traces of the settlement are visible as earthworks preserved under pasture. They include the outlines of houses and yards, hollow-way tracks and, beneath a recent plantation, the well preserved foundations of a large building, thought to be the remains of a church. The site has never been excavated.
The settlement is located near to two Medieval moats, one of which (now totally levelled) was located just to the north of the village and several Medieval field systems. The impressive remains of East Rudham Priory are located 1km to the north-west.
Information from (S3) and (S4).

February 1991. Context 3 - from molehills in scheduled area.
Three sherds ?Thetford-type including one particularly thin fine piece; rim fragment of early medieval bowl.
One sherd medieval unglazed.
Important information for Saxo-Norman occupation.
Identifications by A. Rogerson (NAU).
Context 4 - from destroyed North area.
Flint waste flakes and core and fine early Neolithic blade.
Identifications by E. Rose (NAU).
Finds held by NCM.

In 1379 Broomsthorpe and Tattersett together had seventeen ratepayers. The Church had a guild of St John.
Ordnance Survey records in file.
Information from Ordnance Survey Records.
R. J. Rickett (NAU) 6 August 1990.

Site situated approximately 300m south of All Saints Church, Tattersett.
Impressive earthworks in pasture field including hollow ways, house platforms etc. Foundations of large building thought to be remains of church are preserved under new plantation. Mostly under healthy grass cover, but extensive mole and rabbit disturbance. This throwing out pottery sherds, exposing possible foundations in one area. Two sherds identified as Thetford and Ipswich Ware.
Site subject of Section 17 agreement (expires 16.4.96).
H. Paterson (NAU) February 1991.

November 1993.
Roman, Late Saxon, medieval sherds in two areas, including possible ploughed out moat.
See list and plan in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA).

5 July 1994. NLA aerial photography. Images of south part of site.
Parchmark of possible two-celled structure. Possibly within earthwork, but no shadow in photograph.
Very few earthworks visible.
M. Brennand (NLA) 12 February 2001.

However in reference (S1) Batcock now places Broomsthorpe in East Rudham parish, and locates this site as a second church to Tattersett.
He records that he found a Barnack crossed coffin slab reused as a cornerstone in the foundations.
See also letter in file. And see site NHER 13526 for description that may therefore belong here.
E. Rose (NLA) 4 August 1994.

English Heritage Management Agreement expires 22 April 1996.
This will not be renewed or entered into County Scheme. The site will become part of the existing adjacent E.S.A. land.
H. Paterson (NLA) 2 April 1996.

1996. Metal detecting. Context 4-5 outside scheduled area.
Medieval and post medieval coins.
Middle Saxon brooches, pin, tweezers.
Late Saxon strap end.
Medieval and post medieval metal finds.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 11 March 1997.

July 1997. Metal detecting. Area extended to southwest. Context 6 at [1].
Two Roman and one medieval coins.
Post medieval tokens and jettons.
Roman harness.
Middle Saxon pin.
Late Saxon, medieval (S5) and post medieval metal finds.
See lists in file.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 28 August 1997.

Site under good grass cover. Rabbit disturbance much reduced. Rabbits are ferreted.
H. Paterson (NLA) 21 April 1998.

1998. Metal detecting. Context 4.
Middle Saxon, Late Saxon, medieval and undatable metal finds.
Two Roman coins.
A. Rogerson (NLA) 2 April 1999.

Good grass cover, minimal poaching in boggy areas after wet spell. One small area of rabbit disturbance. No pottery in upcast, but small area of possible 'mortared' stone revealed. Some mole and thistle clumps. Cattle grazing in summer months.
H. Paterson (NLA) 18 September 1999.

See hanging plan of site.

Monument Types

• BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOLLOW WAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• INHUMATION (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Unknown date)
• LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
• COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• HARNESS (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• BROOCH (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• PIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• PIN (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• POT (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• TWEEZERS (Middle Saxon - 651 AD to 850 AD)
• BROOCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• STRAP FITTING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
• BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• COFFIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HARNESS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PADLOCK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• RIVET (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• STRAP FITTING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• STUD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• COIN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• DRESS COMPONENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• SEAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TOKEN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

• Management Statement
• Scheduled Monument
• Higher Level Stewardship

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Tattersett (Parish Summary)