Record Details
| NHER Number: | 53082 |
|---|
| Type of record: | Landscape |
|---|
| Name: | Former extent of Mousehold Heath |
|---|
Summary
The origins of Mousehold Heath are unknown, but it remained little altered between the 16th century and the end of the 18th century. This site represents the maximum known extent of the heath, as depicted on Faden's Map of Norfolk (1797).
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 286 118 |
|---|
| Map Sheet: | TG21SE |
|---|
| Parish: | BLOFIELD, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
| GREAT AND LITTLE PLUMSTEAD, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
| NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK |
|---|
| POSTWICK WITH WITTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
| RACKHEATH, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
| SALHOUSE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
| SPROWSTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
| THORPE ST ANDREW, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
|---|
Full description
The origins of Mousehold Heath are unknown. The name Mushold is usually interpreted as meaning mouse + wood, though it is never recorded as the name of an actual wood. By 1086 the area was wooded only at the Norwich end, where Thorpe had 'wood for 1200 swine'. By the 16th century the heath had extended across the plateau, and woodland was confined to steep slopes around the edges. Mousehold Heath survived almost unaltered until the 18th century, and the polygon attached to this record indicates the extent shown on Faden's Map of 1797. However, Enclosure Acts for various parishes swiftly eroded the heath during the early decades of the 19th century, and by 1838 only half of the Norwich City portion (approximately 180 acres) remained. This was acquired by the Norwich Corporation in the 1880s as a place of public resort.
Information from (S1).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 13 October 2009.
Monument Types
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
- SHINE
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Monograph: Rackham, O.. 1986. The History of the Countryside.. pp 299-302. |
Related records - none