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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	1104
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Godwick deserted medieval settlement and the ruins of All Saints Church, Tittleshall

Summary

The remains of this deserted settlement site are well preserved, as the area has a long history of being used as pasture and has avoided the dangers of deep ploughing. The site includes a long sunken street which is the main thoroughfare, and a number of enclosures to each side. Each of these would have contained a medieval dwelling. The only damage to the site has come from post medieval clay extraction and the imposition of gardens around Godwick Hall (NHER 1103) in the post medieval period. The church tower that can be seen today is likely a 17th century rebuild of the 13th century church, which is known to have had lost its tower and been 'wholly ruined' by 1602. The settlement of Godwick is listed in the Domesday Book and is thought to have been stable in the 12th to 15th century, and declined in the 16th century, perhaps due to the very heavy clay soils at this site.

Images

Location

Grid Reference:	TF 903 219
Map Sheet:	TF92SW
Parish:	TITTLESHALL, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Deserted Medieval Settlement including ruined church tower.
Condition: earthworks very good under pasture, but turf stripping outside scheduled area. Tower collapsed May 1981 leaving only parts of two walls standing. Farm covers part of site; early concrete buildings of 1883 (grade II).
For full details see report in file.
See also (S1).
E. Rose (NAU), 28 May 1981.

Schedule, plans, photos in file.

August 1998.
Earthwork survey at 1:1000. Extends site to north and south and has added some features within site, including a likely main entrance to the hall.
See report (S9) for details and plan. This site was amongst those included in (S10) and the survey is also noted in (S11).
B. Cushion (NLA), 22 September 1998.

Section 17 Management Agreement signed 6 September 1993 for 5 years.
See copy in office file.
H. Paterson (A&E), 14 September 1999.

See (S2).

22 July 1993. NLA aerial photography.
Some earthworks visible and possible cropmark of enclosure (rectangular) to northwest of site of church.
M. Brennand (NLA), 7 February 2001.

12 July 1994. NLA aerial photography.
Part or most of the site is visible in each photograph; the earthworks are quite clear.
H. Clare (NLA), 22 February 2001.

2002.
Old tree split and fallen, no uprooting, some wheel marks on grass due to removal of branches. Fence removal around ruined church tower. New information boards erected under stewardship agreement. Old English Heritage boards in poor condition with some wrong captions.
H. Paterson (A&E), 21 June 2002.

Autumn 2002.
Surface find at junction of side track with the main hollow way, well to east of church, at approx. TF 9026 2203:
Medieval one body sherd unglazed (weighing 2g).
A. Rogerson (NLA), 13 January 2003.

Autumn 2002. Fieldwalking Survey.
General scarcity of worked flint, only 29 were discovered, mostly in the extreme north of the site. One probable Iron Age sherd was recovered. Roman pottery was found on eleven fields (including NHER 7109). Tesserae and iron slag were recovered, and there were signs of a furnace. Thirteen sherds of Saxon pottery was recovered, along with Medieval and post medieval sherds.
See report (S3) and published article (S4) for further details. Work also noted in (S8).
H. White (NLA), 28 May 2009.

June and August 2004. Visits.
Good grass cover, sheep grazing continues. Information panels erected some 20 years ago suffering deterioration and vandalism with one photograph cut out. Photographs taken of damage for English Heritage. Possible replacement/refurbishment to be discussed.
H. Paterson (A&E), 1 September 2004.

July 2007.
Section 17 management agreement signed. See (S5).
D. Robertson (NLA), 17 October 2007.

Casual find 18 June 2007.
Medieval pot sherd.
See file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 22 June 2007.

April 2008. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks for associated with installation of interpretation panels. Two small slots were excavated by hand for the erection of two new information panels. Five fragments of medieval pottery were recovered, along with a single fragment of post-medieval brick. In the second slot a large blue/grey stone was discovered which may have been roughly shaped for use in building. It was left in position.
See report (S6) for more information.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.60).
H. White (NLA), 4 November 2008. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 May 2019.

September 2009.
Scheduled monument consent granted concerning the refurbishment of a low voltage network.
See (S7) for further details.
H. White (NLA), 11 November 2009.

April 2012. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of extension on east side of Godwick Great Barn (NHER 1102).
The foundation trench excavated revealed only structural remains and demolition debris associated with now demolished late post-medieval extensions to the barn.
See report (S12) and NHER 1102 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 May 2024.

August 2019. Watching Brief.
Maintained during installation of six interpretation panels.
The hand-excavated post-holes for three of the panels (at TF 90232 22043, TF 90248 22015 and TF 90302 22034) encountered probable yard surfaces likely to have been associated with medieval tofts. One of these deposits contained a potentially medieval sheep metatarsal which may represent evidence for skinning and processing. A panel placed on a rise adjacent to one of the medieval streets at TF 90180 21971 exposed what was potentially part of an associated earthwork/bank. A panel at TF 90391 22046 exposed a deposit best considered a post-medieval buried soil, which contained fragments of late medieval/post-medieval roof tile and post-medieval pantile. This soil was sealed by a gravel deposit likely to represent a yard or track surface associated with the Old Hall.
See report (S13) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 May 2024.

August 2020. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with installation of new drainage in the car park at Godwick Great Barn.
A single undated feature was recorded in one of the drainage trenches, although this was seen in section only and it was impossible to determine whether it was a pit or a ditch. A compacted brown silty clay deposit recorded in the same trench was possibly the remains of a medieval yard surface or track. Several fragments of large mammal bone were found within this material but no dating evidence was recovered.
A grey brown silty clay deposit exposed within the lawn area to the north-east of the barn was potentially the primary fill of a hollow visible on the surface that has been interpreted as part of the main street through Godwick village. It was overlain by a buried soil or subsoil layer. Neither deposit produced any finds and unfortunately a later feature had removed any evidence for their relationship with the subsoil layer encountered in all of the trenches.
Unstratified finds recovered from subsoil and topsoil deposits included a small assemblage of medieval and post-medieval/modern pottery sherds, fragments of post-medieval ceramic building material, pieces of animal bone, a large unworked flint nodule (found lying flat – suggesting it may have been placed to act a post pad), a medieval buckle and a number of other, undatable and modern metal objects.
See report (S14) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 May 2024.

Monument Types

FEATURE (Unknown date)
CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FINDSPOT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
HOLLOW WAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
WATERMILL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
YARD? (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
FINDSPOT (Post Medieval to Late 20th Century - 1540 AD to 2000 AD)

Associated Finds

ANIMAL REMAINS (Unknown date)
ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Unknown date)
BUILDING MATERIAL (Unknown date)
NAIL (Unknown date)
ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
BUCKLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ROOF TILE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
BUILDING MATERIAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
FLOOR TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
PANTILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
PANTILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
POT (19th Century to Late 20th Century - 1801 AD to 2000 AD)

Protected Status

Listed Building
Management Statement
Listed Building
Scheduled Monument
SHINE

Sources and further reading

---	Aerial Photograph: TF 9022A, AN-AY, ABY, ABZ, ACJ-ACR, ACT, ADE-ADJ; TF 9021B-M.
---	Article in Monograph: Wade-Martins, P., Fenner, G. and Knight, J. 1982. Some Deserted Village Sites in Norfolk: IV. Godwick. Trowse, Horning, Deserted Medieval Villages. East Anglian Arch. No 14. pp 59-67.
---	Designation: [unknown]. Ancient Monuments Form. SAM Record. DNF265.
---	Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1994. TF 9022ACZ - ADD; TF 9021N - R.
---	Monograph: Bryant, T. H. 1903. Hundred of Launditch. The Churches of Norfolk. pp 95-97.
---	Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 92 SW 1 [2].
---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Photograph: NAU Archaeology. 2008. MVP.
---	Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, B. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 360-361.
---	Leaflet: All Saint's Church, Godwick..
---	Photograph: 1990. Godwick Church. Print.
---	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 1991. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1990. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLI Pt II pp 240-246. p 245.
---	Article in Serial: Wade-Martins, P. and Wade, K. 1967. Some Deserted Villages in Norfolk: Notes for Visitors. Norfolk Research Committee Bulletin. Series 1 No 17 pp 2-8. p 6.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
---	*Rolled Plan: Large Plan Exists.
---	Slide: Various. Slide. 1-13.
---	Photograph: CTA18-19,CUE29-30,BVU,CBH24-28,FFP34-38.
---	Illustration: [Unknown]. 1982. Plan of All Saint's ruined church, Godwick. Film. 1:100.
---	Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1981-2000. [Articles and letters to the editor about the deserted village of Godwick becoming safe and accessible to the public]. 31 March.
---	Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
---	Designation: English Heritage. 1990-2013. English Heritage Listing Notification. Notification. DNF3508.
<S1>	Article in Monograph: Wade-Martins, P., Fenner, G. and Knight, J. 1982. Some Deserted Village Sites in Norfolk: IV. Godwick. Trowse, Horning, Deserted Medieval Villages. East Anglian Arch. No 14. pp 59-67. p 59.
<S2>	Monograph: Batcock, N. 1991. The Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 51. Microfiche 5:G12. No 95; pp 52, 136-138.
<S3>	Unpublished Report: Davison, A. 2004. Godwick: A Fieldwalking Survey.
<S4>	Article in Serial: Davison, A. and Rogerson, A. 2007. Investigations at Godwick and Beeston St. Andrew. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLV Pt II pp 141-154.
<S5>	Unpublished Document: Norfolk County Council. 2007-2008. Section 17 Management Agreement.
<S6>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Crawley, P. 2008. An Archaeological Watching Brief at Godwick Deserted Medieval Village. NAU Archaeology. 1542.
<S7>	Designation: DCMS. [?]-2016. Scheduled Monument Consent. SAM Consent. DNF265.
<S8>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 2003. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk, 2002. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt II pp 368-384. p 383.
<S9>	Unpublished Report: Cushion, B. Tittleshall (Godwick). Earthwork Survey Report.
<S10>	Monograph: Cushion, B. and Davison, A. 2003. Earthworks of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 104. p 38.
<S11>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1999. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1998. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt II pp 369-387. p 384.
<S12>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Bampton, J. 2012. Godwick Great Barn, Godwick Hall, Tittleshall, Norfolk, PE32 2RJ. Archaeological Monitoring and Recording. Archaeological Solutions. 4216.
<S13>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Robertson, D. 2021. Informal Archaeological Monitoring during the Installation of Interpretation Panels at Godwick Deserted Village, Norfolk. Archaeology East Anglia. 25.
<S14>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Robertson, D. 2020. Archaeological Monitoring during the Installation of Drainage in the Car Park at Godwick Great Barn, Godwick, Norfolk. Archaeology East Anglia. 76.