Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

November 2009. Norfolk NMP.
An area of earthworks relating to probable areas of medieval to post medieval settlement, boundaries and landscaping associated with the moated Manor Farm at Bixley (NHER 9763), are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S6). The site is centred on TG 2487 0457. Finds in the area indicate medieval settlement activity dating to the twelfth to the fourteenth centuries NHER 20674, 21953, 21162, although Late Saxon pottery could indicate an earlier origin to the site (NHER 20674). A seventeenth century map of the Manor (S7), see secondary file for NHER 9763 for copy, shows two buildings, one of which appears to be a large barn, within the area of the earthworks.
In the enclosed area immediate adjacent to the moated Manor, the surprisingly few earthworks are visible, considering the amount of earthworks recorded within the moat, see NHER 9763. This may be due to landscaping at some point during the post medieval period, possibly associated with the building of the present house in the late nineteenth century. The only clear earthworks in this area are a bank and ditch continuing the line of the western arm of the moat. Other earthworks to the west are likely to relate to former ponds, possibly fish ponds, or water-filled areas of extraction.
Running from the eastern end of the southern arm of the moat and continuing alongside Arminghall Lane is an elongated water-filled earthwork. A possible continuation of this is visible running alongside the edge of Arminghall Wood in the 1940s whilst the tree coverage is low (S2-S3). The channel is quite clearly defined with very straight sides, approximately 12m across, and with a neatly tapered end. A bank, up to 10m across, runs along the western side. The fact that this leads up to the medieval moat around the Manor House (NHER 9763), it seems likely that this represents a water feature or large fish pond associated with the Manor House. The northern part of this channel is depicted on the seventeenth century map of the Manor (S7), see secondary file for NHER 9763 for copy.
To the east of Arminghall Road, centred on TG 2495 0470, is a complex area of earthworks, which are likely to relate to an area of medieval settlement. These earthworks have since been plough-levelled. Fieldwalking on the site of the former earthworks has revealed late Saxon and medieval date pottery (NHER 20674, 21953, 21162), 13th to 15th century pottery and a lava quern stone. There is also a vague record of a windmill on the site (NHER 21162), but with no definite evidence for one. The earthworks thin out towards the north of the field and this apparent gap in the features coincides with an area of trees, possibly an orchard, depicted on the seventeenth century map of the Manor (S7), see secondary file for NHER 9763 for copy. The area of the earthwork is labelled as ‘Barn Meadow’ on the map. Two buildings are depicted within the southern part of the field; a long high pitched roof buildings, presumably the barn, is located at approximately TG 2495 0469, and another smaller building at approximately TG 2496 0465. The northern location for the possible Barn roughly coincides with the raised platform, 23m by at least 20m, visible as an earthwork (S1) and an area of 13th to 14th century pottery (NHER 21953). The southern building location also broadly coincides with a rectangular platform, 22m by 14m (S1). It is feasible that they other broadly rectangular raised platforms that were recorded at this site also relate to the site of former buildings.
These buildings platforms are surrounded by a network of boundary ditches and drainage ditches that broadly divide the area into rectilinear and rectangular parcels of land, interspersed with ponds and/or water-filled extraction pits. The eastern ditch running north-south is marked on seventeenth century map and continues in use as a boundary until the early twentieth century.
A number of low earthwork banks and ditches, probably relating to medieval and/or post medieval wood banks and boundaries are visible on aerial photographs within the area of Arminghall Wood (NHER 34074), centred on TG 2479 0453. This area of woodland has been classified as Ancient Woodland, as it has recorded as existing prior to 1600, see NHER 34074 for details. However earthworks are visible in 1946 (S2-S3), when the wood has been cleared relatively recently and is covered in low scrub vegetation. It is thought that these are likely to be medieval and/or post medieval wood banks and boundaries, however it is feasible that some of these relate to enclosures and fields pre-dating the establishment of the wood associated with the medieval settlement to the northeast of the wood, as some of the boundaries follow similar alignments.
To the south of Arminghall Lane is another area of boundary banks and ditches. These are all likely to be medieval to post medieval date field and land boundaries around Church Farm. The bank cutting across these boundaries at an angle is likely to be a raised track leading to the farm. The area of these earthworks has since been ploughed and much is now level, although some of the surface traces may remain.
S. Horlock (NMP), 04 November 2009.

Monument Types

• BARN? (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• BUILDING PLATFORM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUILDING? (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• DRAINAGE DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOUSE PLATFORM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SETTLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• TOFT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WOOD BANK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BARN? (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BUILDING PLATFORM (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BUILDING? (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• DRAINAGE DITCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FISHPOND (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• HOUSE PLATFORM (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• SETTLEMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TOFT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• WOOD BANK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records