Record Details

NHER Number:4688
Type of record:Monument
Name:Medieval earthworks

Summary

A series of earthworks lies to the southwest of the Manor House, NHER 4688, and are visible on the ground and on aerial photographs. Fishponds, tofts, house platforms and a hollow way are all probably of medieval date. The date of other ditches and enclosures on the site is uncertain, but probably represents multi-period activity, perhaps associated with the nearby medieval manorial site. A Late Saxon iron spearhead, Roman pottery and medieval and post medieval finds have been recovered from the site.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 850 019
Map Sheet:TF80SE
Parish:GREAT CRESSINGHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

1966.
Earthworks of possible medieval croft sites adjacent Priory House (NHER 4687) on (S1).
Were these deliberately abandoned in the 16th century when house (NHER 4687) was built to allow space for park?
See (S2).
Confirmed from (S1) now in Unit collections which also shows course of river before straightening.
E. Rose (NAU) 1 July 1983.

Area extended to west from (S3) which shows further ditched rectangles.
Copy of (S3) in file.
E. Rose (NLA) 11 October 1994.

1988. Stray Find.
Found in digging out ditch at [1] (Context 2).
Late Saxon iron spearhead. Possibly ritually 'killed'.
See sketch (S4) and x-rays (S5).
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM) and E. B. Green (NCM)
Compiled by W. Milligan (NCM) 28 July 1988. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 7 September 2018.

Low earthworks to west under pasture, with possible fishponds noted by owner further west.
Possible further earthworks to east.
Under good grass, grazed by sheep.
H. Paterson (A&E) 19 February 1996.

1996. Earthwork Survey.
1:1000 earthwork survey. Re-interpretation to include fish ponds, enclosures, building platforms and possible roadway. Included in plan of above sites as well.
Roman and medieval pottery.
See report (S6) for plan and in file. This site was included in (S7) and the survey is also noted in (S8).
B. Cushion (NLA) June 1996.

Before February 2002. Casual finds in dyke cleaning spoil at TF 8511 0204.
Medieval/Post medieval stone and ceramic architectural fragments.
?Medieval quern.
Post medieval sherd.
Window came.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 12 January 2005.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
  • HOUSE PLATFORM (Unknown date)
  • BUILDING (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HOLLOW WAY (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HOUSE PLATFORM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TANNING PIT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TOFT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SPEAR (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • MILLSTONE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • QUERN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CAME (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • Higher Level Stewardship
  • Higher Level Stewardship

Sources and further reading

---Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP AAQ76.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Cressingham (Great).
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Aerial Photograph: TF8501 A (St. Joseph AAQ 75), B-D,G-J; TF8502 A-H,M-S,AR-AT;.
<S2>Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S3>Aerial Photograph: 1946. RAF 106G/UK 1634.
<S4>Illustration: Milligan, W. 1988. Sketch of a Late Saxon iron spearhead. Paper. 1:1.
<S5>X-ray: X-rays NX 2876-2880.
<S6>Unpublished Report: Cushion, B. 1996. Gt Cressingham SMR 4687, 4688 & 31848. Earthwork Survey Report.
<S7>Monograph: Cushion, B. and Davison, A. 2003. Earthworks of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 104. p 103.
<S8>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1997. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1996. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt IV pp 547-564. p 552.

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