Record Details
| NHER Number: | 6620 |
|---|
| Type of record: | Building |
|---|
| Name: | Gresham Castle |
|---|
Summary
The remains of a medieval castle. It was built by Sir Edmund Bacon after he was granted a licence to fortify in 1319, but stood on the site of an earlier castle. Very similar in shape to nearby Baconsthorpe Castle (NHER 6561), the castle was forty metres square with rounded corner towers and a surrounding moat. It was taken over by the Paston family in the mid 15th century, later being looted by Lord Moleyn's men. Nothing of the castle now stands to any great height, and until recently the site was swamped with trees and vegetation. However, it is understood that limited clearance has recently begun.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 1666 3807 |
|---|
| Map Sheet: | TG13NE |
|---|
| Parish: | GRESHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
|---|
Full description
Castle.
Licence to fortify granted by Edward II to Sir Edmund Bacon in 1319, but earlier castle of De Stuteville family stood on site. Bacon's castle was 40m or 130 feet square with a round tower 11m or 36 feet in diameter in each corner.
Castle was later possessed by the Pastons and held by Mary Paston from 1448 to 50.
1844 moat cleaned out; old drawbridge, keel of boat, pottery, and 'entrance to a subterranean passage' found.
17 March 1977. Visit.
Ordnance Survey mark walls as exisiting on the north, west and east sides only. However the only masonry visible now is on west side,the southeast tower, and east side: walls about 1.9m or 6 feet high now acting as revetting to interior flint and mortar.
Moat water filled with a causeway of logs giving access to interior, where all is overgrown by trees and bushes.
One fragment of worked stone on surface. Nothing in roots of fallen trees.
Causeway suggested by J. Goldsmith (NCM) running north towards 'Chequers'.
This is doubtful; it is visible on the north side of a stream, but there are other parallel rises in the ground, and south of stream it is very faint. (S1), (S2), (S3), (S4), (S5), (S6), (S7), (S8).
E. Rose (NAU).
1985.
For notes on clearance work undertaken by CP team, see note on plan by F. Healy (NAU) and schedule in file.
E. Rose (NAU), 15 October 1985.
June 2001.
Site heavily masked by trees and undergrowth.
Moat wet, access to interior is impossible.
Some masonry visible on corners of platform.
Owners may consider entering a stewardship scheme. Any work will have to be undertaken with great care.
H. Paterson (A & E), 2 July 2001.
December 2001.
Under winter conditions, much of the flint wall circuit now visible standing up to 1 to 1.5m in places. Owner interested in a Countryside Stewardship Scheme to include scrub removal, tree surgery and clearing of old willow from the wet moat. Also possible arable reversion of field surrounding castle site.
H. Paterson (A&E), 20 December 2001.
20 January 2004.
Whole site heavily masked by scrub and mature trees. Extensive masonry walls show some large saplings growing in the fabric. It is hoped to implement a Section 17 Agreement to cut the damaging items to preserve the masonry from further deterioration.
H. Paterson (A&E), 27 January 2004.
March 2004.
Section 17 Agreement (S9) signed 5 March 2004.
H. Paterson (A&E), 19 March 2004.
January 2005. Visit.
Scrub and trees all felled on and adjacent to standing masonry, except for the northwest tower.
Relevant extracts of (S10) and (S11) in file. (S12) in file.
March 2009.
5 year Section 17 agreement signed, backdated to 5 March 2009.
See (S13).
D. Robertson (NLA), 1 April 2009.
April 2009.
It was reported (S14) that during the late 1970s/early 1980s, surveys of the site were conducted, but no further information on this has been traced. See Notes.
D. Gurney (NLA), 10 June 2009.
Monument Types
- CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- TUNNEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Associated Finds
- ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status
- Scheduled Monument
- Scheduled Monument
- Listed Building
- Scheduled Monument
- Listed Building
Sources and further reading
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary file. |
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TG1638 A,B,C,F-J,K,L,P-T. |
| S1 | Serial: Gairdner (ed.). Paston Letters.. Vol 1, p 10. |
| S2 | Bibliographic reference: White. Norfolk. 2. |
| S3 | Serial: Blomfield. History of Norfolk.. Vol VIII, p 126. p 126 |
| S4 | Article in serial: 1936. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXVI, p XIII-IV. pp XIII-XIV |
| S5 | Article in serial: 1960. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXII, p 180. p 180 |
| S6 | Article in serial: Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXII. |
| S7 | Article in serial: Norfolk Archaeology. Vol LIX. |
| S8 | Bibliographic reference: 1953. Paston Exhibiton Catalogue. p.11. p 11 |
| S9 | Unpublished document: H. Paterson (A&E), MPP. Section 17 Management Agreement. |
| S10 | Scheduling record: English Heritage. Scheduling Report. |
| S11 | Scheduling record: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Historical and Architectural Interest.. |
| S12 | Photograph: Two untitled.. |
| S13 | Unpublished document: Norfolk County Council. 2008-2009. Section 17 Management Agreement. |
| S14 | Verbal communication: Mr Wright. 2009. |
Related records - none
Find out more...