Record Details

NHER Number:9037
Type of record:Monument
Name:St Andrew's Chapel, Bradcar

Summary

This is the site of the medieval chapel dedicated to St Andrew. It was used by the inhabitants of Little Breckles after their church was demolished prior to the reign of Edward III. Deep ploughing in 1950 revealed building foundations of the chapel along with skeletons, a stone coffin lid and fragments of medieval and post medieval pottery. A visit to the site in 1978 showed that very few of the chapel's remains are now visible. However, more recent metal detecting and field surveys have recovered an Early Saxon disc brooch and sherds of Saxon Thetford Ware and medieval Grimston Ware.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 9822 9264
Map Sheet:TL99SE
Parish:SHROPHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Site of St Andrew's Chapel, Bradcar.
Used by inhabitants of Little Breckles after their church was demolished pre Edward III - and by Shropham? (see NHER 12152 and 9065). Demolished itself temporarily during reign of Edward IV or VI - latter probably correct. Deep ploughing in May 1950 revealed foundations northwest of spot marked on Ordnance Survey - 29m (94ft) from south hedge, 67m (220ft) along hedge from road verge. Flint and brick structure approximately 20m (65ft) northwest-southeast and 14m (45ft) southwest-northeast; skeletons outside with heads to west; plain limestone coffin slab, 1m (3ft 3in) long 55cm (1ft 10in) broad at top and 32cm (1ft 1in) at foot, 7.6cm (3in) thick. Early medieval sherds, unglazed, and glazed floor tile fragments found by R. R. Clarke 25 May 1950
Finds held by NCM.
Transcribed from NCM card.

In 1913 carved stone 61cm (2ft) square, 12.7cm (5in) thick found under 'the hearth in an old cottage' and thought to be font from here (S1).

2 August 1978. Site visit by E. Rose (NAU).
Nothing visible in field of beet. Vicar says the north-south road was cut around 1801 and crosses the churchyard. Road has a pronounced rise showing the chapel stood on a knoll.
E. Rose (NAU) 1985.

Found with metal detector at location [1]. (Small find 1).
Late Saxon bronze disc brooch very worn, late 10th century.
See drawings (S4 and S5) in the Illustration Library.
A. Rogerson (NAU) June 1985.

June 1985. Surface finds.
One base, two sherds Thetford type. Nine sherds medieval unglazed. One base glazed Grimston, one jug rim, one handle late medieval/transitional ware. One bowl rim, inturned, flat topped. Soft pinkinsh core, pale yellow brown surface, rounded voids. Late Saxon?
Identified by A. Rogerson (NAU) 27 June 1985.
A. Rogerson (NAU) 27 June 1985.

Appropriate section from reference (S3) in file.

Monument Types

  • CHAPEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BROOCH (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • COFFIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HUMAN REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: (LS brooch) CUU 34-5.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TL 99 SE 8 [2].
---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. Shropham.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Serial: Blomefield, F. 1805. An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk. Vol I. p 451.
<S2>Article in Serial: Clarke, R. R. 1957. Archaeological Discoveries in Norfolk 1949-54. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXI pp 395-416. p 412.
<S3>Monograph: Batcock, N. 1991. The Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 51. Microfiche 5:G12. No 144; p 53.
<S4>Illustration: Penn, K.. 1985. Drawing of an Early Saxon disc brooch.. Film. 2:1.
<S5>Illustration: Penn, K.. 1985. Drawing of an Early Saxon disc brooch.. Film. 2:1.

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