Record Details
| NHER Number: | 6394 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Moated site, possibly a medieval windmill mound |
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Summary
The earthworks of a large circular moated site, possibly a medieval windmill mound, are visible on aerial photographs of this area. Only a section of the earthworks survive and a caravan park and other features have been built over them. The site is located on the cliff top.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 1736 4318 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG14SE |
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| Parish: | BEESTON REGIS, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Circular moat
See (S1).
(S2) alleges an inner bank and small building within both 'recently thrown down'.
Bolding's notebook from 1850 (S3) refers to this as an 'encampment' with glazed tiles and 'Roman pottery'.
Mid 1970s. Cambridge University Committee for Aerial Photography Air Photography.
Site shown entirely destroyed for caravan park.
E. Rose (NAU) 24 February 1982.
(S4) states that however two thirds of mound inside moat remain identifiable. 17m diameter, dry moat was 14m wide, 1m to 1.5m deep.
Informant [1] suggests that this is a mill mound, site of windmill mentioned in Inquisition of July 1347 on death of John, Earl Warren. See file for further details.
E. Rose (NAU) 9 October 1984.
March 1988. Cliff edge now much further south than shown on (S5).
Central island indeed remains just visible under grass. The northeast quadrant of the ditch also remains, used as a rubbish dump. By projecting this, the former northern lip of the moat must be just on the present cliff edge, but there is no trace in section.
E. Rose (NAU) 18 April 1988.
March 2004, Norfolk NMP.
The site of a large earthwork circular moated enclosure visible on aerial photographs from 1941 (S6). The site is centred on TG 1736 4318. This feature has been interpreted as a windmill mound and a possible circular post mill has been identified. The first edition 25 inch Ordnance Survey map of 1888 shows this circular moat as being complete (1888 to 1890) (S7), however by the time of the second edition 25 inch map the north west quadrant of this ditch has been destroyed (1902 to 1907) (S8). This is probably due to the founding of a brickworks to the north of the site (NHER 6420) in the intervening period.
The slight earthworks visible on the 1941 RAF aerial photographs (S6) show the 'moat' to be circular and measuring 68m in diameter and the ditch being up to 14.5m wide. Although the majority of the ditch was approximately 11m wide. The interior appears to be raised into a roughly circular mound. The earthworks are all bisected by a road leading to the coast and brickworks. Within the centre of the mound the cropmarks and possibly slight earthworks, of a ring ditch are faintly visible, centred on TG 1736 4318 and measuring 13.5m in diameter. It seems likely that this circular feature may be the remains of a postmill structure on top of the mound. Although no characteristic central cross is visible.
S. Massey (NMP) 30 March 2004.
December 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Land-based survey; Area A13, Context 18:
A circular windmill mound measuring 40m in diameter, surrounded by a ditch up to 13m wide and 1m deep. Located about 50m from the cliff edge and recorded between TG 17372 43225 and TG 17374 43161. Caravans stand on both the mound and ditch.
See assessment report (S9) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 6 December 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 July 2019.
Monument Types
- CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- POST MILL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- RING DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- WINDMILL MOUND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Associated Finds
- POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TG1743 A. |
| --- | 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. Beeston Regis. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 14 SE 11 [3]. |
| <S2> | Article in Serial: Harrod, H. 1852. On the Weybourne Pits. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol III pp 232-240. p 237. |
| <S3> | Publication: Bolding. Notebook. |
| <S4> | Unpublished Document: 1984. Moated Sites Research Group Report.. Moated Sites Research Group. 11. p 22. |
| <S5> | Map: Ordnance Survey, First Edition, 6 Inch. 1879-1886. Ordnance Survey 1st Edition 6 inch map.. |
| <S6> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1941. RAF S/378 68-9 07-AUG-1941 (NMR). |
| <S7> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1888. OS 25" 1st edition (1888-90) sheet XI.1. |
| <S8> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1902-7. OS 25" 2nd edition (1902-7) sheet XI.1. |
| <S9> | Unpublished Contractor Report: Robertson, D., Crawley, P., Barker, A., and Whitmore, S. 2005. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey. Assessment Report and Updated Project Design. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1045. |
Related records
| 41016 | Part of: Multi-period features and finds (Monument) |
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