Record Details

NHER Number:8823
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of medieval manor in Hazel Hurn wood

Summary

This is the site of a medieval manorial complex, including a moated site, with a possible outer enclosure, a series of fishponds and the site of a dovecote, see NHER 25241.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 977 029
Map Sheet:TF90SE
Parish:CRANWORTH, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Medieval moat.
R. R. Clarke (NCM)

The original causewayed entrance was on the northern arm.
There are no indications of a building site on the island.
See (S1).
R. J. Rickett (NAU) 23 August 1990.

Measuring approximately 55m square.
Moats wet 1.5m to 2.5m wide.
Interior slightly higher than surrounding land, with faint earthworks on surface, and possible outer enclosure.
Surface cover of bluebells, dogs mercury, periwinkle.
Supporting some mature oak and old coppice.
Some new coppice to northwest.
Much dead wood litters site.
H. Paterson (A&E), 17 June 1996.

September 2001. Scheduled.
Scheduling Description:
The monument, which is in two separate areas of protection, includes the remains of a medieval moated site, fishponds and associated features in Hazel Hurn Wood, approximately 0.9km south west of Church Farm, Woodrising. The moat lies at the south western edge of the former Woodrising parish, now part of Cranworth. In 1086 land in Woodrising, previously in the possession of Alveva, was held by William of Warenne. A family, taking the name de Rising, held the land under Earl Warren and in the latter part of the 15th century it passed to the Southwells who, during the 16th century, established their seat at Woodrising Hall, approximately 1.3km to the east.
The moated platform, or island, is sub-rectangular in plan, measuring approximately 40m north west - south east by 30m, and is surrounded by a water-filled moat measuring up to 6m in width. The island stands approximately 0.3m above the surrounding ground level with a low internal bank alongside the north east arm of the moat. A slightly raised platform, measuring about 8m in width, at the northern corner of the island appears to mark the site of a building. A roughly circular hollow, measuring approximately 4m in width, located at the eastern corner of the island, is thought to be the remains of a pond. Low external banks, measuring up to 0.2m in height and 3m and 1.5m in width respectively, border the north western arm of the moat and part of the south western arm. Two depressions, one each on the inner and outer edges of the north eastern arm of the moat, indicate the position of a causeway which formerly provided access to the island and which is shown on early editions of the Ordnance Survey maps. A channel leading northward from the eastern corner of the moat and a further channel leading eastward from the south east arm of the moat represent part of the former water management system. The ends of the channels adjoining the moat are included in the scheduling.
An L-shaped depression, thought to be the remains of a line of fishponds associated with the moated site, is located 200m east of the moat in a second area of protection. The depression measures approximately 70m north west - south east with an arm, about 25m in length, extending southward from the north west end. It measures up to 6m in width and 1m deep and is water-filled in places. The long axis appears to be sub-divided, by low baulks, to form a series of ponds probably connected by sluices to control the flow of water between them. A roughly circular hollow, measuring about 4m in width, located in the south east angle formed by the L-shaped pond, is thought to mark the site of an infilled pond which will survive as a buried feature.
Two channels, forming part of the water management system, are associated with the fishponds. At the south east end of the fishpond is a channel, aligned north east - south west, at right angles to the pond. The channel, measuring 3m wide and 0.75m deep and visible for a distance of about 20m, is included in the scheduling. A further channel, measuring 4m in width and up to 1m deep, leads to the south east from the southern tip of the L-shaped pond. A 10m length of this channel, adjacent to the pond, is included in the scheduling.
An earthen mound is located in the north western angle formed by the long axis of the L-shaped fishpond and the channel aligned north east - south west at its eastern end. The mound is square in plan, measuring approximately 12m in width and standing up to 2m in height. There is a circular depression, about 5m in diameter, located centrally at the top of the mound. The mound is thought to have been constructed to support a dovecote. The association of the moated site with the fishpond and dovecote suggests that these features were part of a manorial complex.
Information from (S2) and (S3).
D. Gurney (NLA), 23 January 2002.

2004. Earthwork Rapid Identification Survey.
Norfolk Ancient Woodland Historic Environment Rapid Identification Survey Pilot Study.
Survey of Hazel Hurn Wood (NHER 40180) noted a number of features that may relate to the manorial complex.
See report (S4) for further information, including detailed descriptions of the individual features identified (Contexts 1-6). The results of this survey are also summarised in (S4).
P. Watkins (HES), 29 June 2015.

An L shaped depression, probably the remains of a line of fishponds associated with the moat, lies 200m east of the main moated site. The depression appears to have been subdivided into a series of small ponds. A mound in the northwest angle of the L shape is thought to be the site of a dovecote.
The association of a moated site, fishponds and a dovecote suggest that this is the site of a medieval manorial complex.
See (S3).
S. Spooner (NLA) 12 September 2005

Monument Types

  • DOVECOTE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MANOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

---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. Cranworth.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Archive: National Archaeological Record.
<S2>Designation: English Heritage. 1990-2013. English Heritage Scheduling Notification. Notification. DNF414.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Cushion, B. 2004. Norfolk Ancient Woodland Historic Environment Rapid Identification Survey. Pilot Study Final Report. Brian Cushion Archaeological & Cartographical Surveyor.
<S3>Designation: English Heritage. 1994? -2011?. English Heritage Digital Designation Record. Record. DNF414.
<S4>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2005. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk in 2004. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt IV pp 751-763. p 757.

Related records - none

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