Record Details

NHER Number:10630
Type of record:Monument
Name:Medieval moat and associated enclosures

Summary

A sub-rectangular medieval moat and associated enclosures are visible as earthworks, and later as cropmarks, on aerial photographs. The moat is surrounded by a group of rectangular and polygonal ditched enclosures and is likely to relate to a manor or homestead site. Slightly to the west of the moat and its enclosures is an earthwork of a penannular ring ditch, which may relate to dovecote. Although the whole site had been ploughed and the earthworks levelled by 1967 the features still show as cropmarks and the moat is still visible on the ground today as a slight depression.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 3098 9160
Map Sheet:TM39SW
Parish:HEDENHAM, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

16 September 1945. Ordnance Survey/RAF air photographs of ditches and banks.
R.R. Clarke (NCM).

Moat. See NAU air photograph.
E. Rose (NAU).

1945 RAF air photograph shows moated enclosure with linear depression (pond?) to south. Channel extends west from southwest corner of moat.

September 1997. Field Observation.
Visit confirmed site is now arable land, but the moat still shows as slight depression, with lusher vegetation growth, on stubble.
B. Cushion (NLA), 24 September 1997.

June 2006. Norfolk NMP
Earthworks and cropmarks of a medieval moat and associated enclosures are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S9). The central grid reference for this site has been amended from TM 3100 9150 to TM 3100 9161. The moat is situated in the southeast corner of this group of earthworks at TM 3116 9157. It has a sub-rectangular plan with internal dimensions of 50m by 45m and ditches of up to 11m in width. It is likely that this moat relates to a medieval manor or other settlement site. A rectangular pit or pond, measuring 10m by 7-5m, is present in the southwest corner of the moated enclosure. Other sub-circular ponds are present outside of the moat. Linear ditches lead away from the moat in all directions. To its south they define at least two sub-rectangular enclosures, which measure 57m by 29m and 33m by 14m internally. Immediately to the north of the moat are incomplete polygonal enclosures. Further to the north, just to the south of Spinks’ Lane at TM 3112 9169, are a group of three adjoining enclosures. These are sub-rectangular and trapezoidal in plan and range in size from 38m by 15m to 32m by 25m. These enclosures are defined by ditches of up to 2.5m in width. The ditches associated with the moat all appear to be fed from the west and three drainage ditches diverge at TM 3093 9155 in the western half of the site. They spread out from a rectilinear pattern of drainage ditches that are probably of post medieval date. An incomplete broad ring ditch earthwork is located at TM 3087 9151. The ditches are up to 3.5m wide and enclose a central platform with a 12m diameter. It is possible that this feature relates to a dovecote associated with the moated site. The site was present as earthworks in pasture fields in 1945 (S3). At that time structures associated with a World War Two bomb store were present in the western part of the site (NHER 41373). These structures had been removed and the western part of the site had been ploughed by 1963 (S4). The moat and other ditches at the eastern end of the site were still present as earthworks at that date. By 1967 the moat and other earthworks had also been ploughed and were visible as soilmarks (S5). Later aerial photographs show the site as cropmarks and soilmarks (S1-S2, S6-S9).
J. Albone (NMP), 26 June 2006

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DOVECOTE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DRAINAGE DITCH (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • RING DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TRAPEZOIDAL ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

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 - Miscellaneous. Hedenham.
<S1>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1976. NHER TM 3191A-D (NLA 31/AFN1-4) 08-JUL-1976.
<S2>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1980. NHER TM 3191E (NLA 76/ANC9) 04-JUN-1980.
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1945. RAF 106G/UK/930 4088-9 16-OCT-1945 (NHER TM 3091A / TM 3192A).
<S4>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1963. RAF 58/5942 (F21) 100-1 27-SEP-1963 (NMR).
<S5>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1967. OS/67056 152-3 24-APR-1967 (NMR).
<S6>Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1971. CUCAP (BFL 65-7) 22-JUN-1971.
<S7>Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1974. CUCAP (BQE 67-9) 02-JUL-1974.
<S8>Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1975. CUCAP (BUY 58-60) 24-JUL-1975.
<S9>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1995. OS/95161 18-9 19-MAY-1995 (NMR).

Related records - none

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