Record Details

NHER Number:25139
Type of record:Monument
Name:Medieval settlement south of church

Summary

Earthworks and surface evidence of a probable medieval building of some significance is surrounded by a ditched enclosure. There are also earthworks of boundary features and a second enclosure. The main enclosure surrounds banks, platforms and depressions and a flint-lined well. There is a hollow way leading to the smaller enclosure. A pond and other depressions may be associated with a post medieval brick works and clay extraction.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 7926 2399
Map Sheet:TF72SE
Parish:LITTLE MASSINGHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Earthworks. Recorded by [1] as being the sites of 'hovels' three generations ago.
Information from [2].
E. Rose (NAU), 7 March 1989.

January 1992. Site visited by H. Paterson (A&E).
Earthworks in fields surrounding the church north of Church Road, also in parkland to south; the latter more pronounced though all indeterminate. Includes posssible early clay-digging pits. Some 80m south of church are the remains of a flint-lined well, and in the copse west of 'Glebe Lands' stand two flint and mortar pillars some 1.5m high. (for these see NHER 30721). [1]'s great-grandfather was rector of Little Massingham last century; he remembers 'hovels' swept away with new houses built towards Massingham St Mary. Clay extraction for brick works was carried out in the area. The Old Rectory (now disused) was used by RAF in World War Two. Drainage and other works were carried out at this time north of Church Road.
See (S1) in file.
H. Paterson (A&E), 8 January 1992.

July 1994. Earthwork Survey.
Survey at 1:1000 extending the site to the whole of the field.
The major feature of the site is surface evidence of a probably medieval building of some significance within a well defined enclosure immediately south of the church. The enclosure is linked to linear boundary features to the southeast whilst evidence also exists for another enclosure to the west.
Finds included:
1 Roman pottery sherd (greyware).
1 medieval pottery sherd (green-glazed medieval).
Both found southwest of building masonry at TF 7926 2404. Identified by D. Gurney (NLA).
See report (S2) for plan and further details. This site was included in (S3) and the survey is also noted in (S4).
B. Cushion (NLA), July 1994. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 23 March 2015.

Monument Types

  • CLAY PIT (Unknown date)
  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • WELL (Unknown date)
  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HOLLOW WAY (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)
  • HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: 92.345.013.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide.
<S1>Unpublished Document: Paterson, H. (A&E). Norfolk Ancient Monuments Management Project Site Form.
<S2>Unpublished Report: Cushion, B. 1994. Little Massingham SMR25139. Earthwork Survey Report.
<S3>Monograph: Cushion, B. and Davison, A. 2003. Earthworks of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 104. p 55.
<S4>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 1995. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1994. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt II pp 230-239. p 234.

Related records - none

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