Record Details

NHER Number:5270
Type of record:Building
Name:Abbey Cottage

Summary

A 15th century building, now used as a house. The building may have been used as an almonery chapel during the medieval period. On 18th century maps in the British Museum and the Norfolk Record Office the site is called 'Almoner's garden' or 'Chapel Close'.

Images

  • Abbey Cottage, Castle Acre. The cottage may have been the abbey almonry.  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TF 8151 1504
Map Sheet:TF81NW
Parish:CASTLE ACRE, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Visited 28 August 1975.
Has blocked east window round headed in brick, above flint and clunch chequerwork.
Blocked pointed window just visible on north.
Flint walls, modern windows, roof and eaves, brick extension.
Obviously a medieval (14th or 15th century) building, but of unknown purpose.
Unknown date of east window.
E. Rose (NAU) 28 August 1975.

Claimed by (S1) as a 15th century almonry chapel.
This date seems improbable for a chapel.
E. Rose (NAU)

(S2) gives a drawing of the cottage which was at that time in ruins having a side door, pointed; and an ogee headed shaped window (the form perhaps being due to robbing of the stone jambs). In his day it was also called the almonry.

(S3) states that an 18th century map in the British Museum calls this the Almoners Garden.
Mid/late 18th century map in Norfolk Record Office calls it Chapel Close.
R. Rickett (NAU) 16 May 1984.

Possibly same as cottage described by informant (see below) as having large multi roll moulded beams (ie early 16th century).
E. Rose (NAU) 5 December 1984.

August 1960. Listed, Grade II.
Perhaps 15th century east gable, 19th century cottage extension.
Dates east window brick arch (see above) as 18th and 19th century but stone jambs below.
2 storeys, some windows Holkham Estate cast iron.
Information from (S4).
E. Rose (NAU) 21 February 1986.

The land on which this cottage stands is part of the scheduled ancient monument of Castle Acre Priory, but not the cottage itself.
E. Rose (NLA) 13 February 1997.

Monument Types

  • BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CHAPEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 252.
---Slide: Various. Slide.
<S1>Map: Bryant. 1826. Bryant's Map of Norfolk.
<S2>Documentary Source: Martin, T. c. 1700-1799. Collections of Church Notes. Norfolk Records Office. 1737.
<S3>Publication: Harrod. Castles and Convents.
<S4>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1077683.

Related records - none

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