Record Details
| NHER Number: | 3008 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Morley Castle medieval moated site |
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Summary
The remains of a medieval moated site. It is recorded that a number of buildings, probably dating to the post medieval period, were present on this site, though little is thought to be visible now.
Images
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 027 176 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG01NW |
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| Parish: | SWANTON MORLEY, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Site of Morley Castle.
Formerly known as 'The island' 143 yards x 132 yards (130m x 120m), two acres area, 6 ft (1.8m) high, walls 1 ft (30cm) high. Some foundations and masonry, revetting of moat, southeast edge used as road and foundations.
Information from Ordnance Survey.
Site is within meander of River Wensum to the west and north, approx. 1.5m above flood plain. The south and east boundaries have a shallow (1m) moat, partly grassed in south-west. The remainder wooded with a modern drain incised into the south-east portion.
Central area is grassland with irregular undulations and a vegetable plot. No evidence of masonry or moat revetting.
B. Cushion (NLA), 20 January 1993.
The UEA farm survey for the adjacent Castle Farm, an 18th and 19th century farmstead, includes a sketch clearly taken from an early map but only annotated '16..' which shows a house inside northwest corner of moat, orchard inside northeast corner, and two barns within south side. No mention of this is made in the text.
E. Rose (NLA), 10 September 1993.
15 October 1993. NLA aerial photography.
Area where these are located can be seen towards top of photographs. However, cannot distinguish the earthworks and ruins due to trees.
H. Clare (NLA), 16 February 2001.
February 2003.
Area part of garden of Castle Farm. Moat obscured by much scrub, some mature trees, some grass on interior. Whole area in delapidated condition, lived in by [1]. Some works may be contemplated by water board on the River Wensum (information from [2]).
H. Paterson (A&E), 12 February 2003.
March 2008. Norfolk NMP.
No definite sign of the former moat at this site was identified on aerial photographs during the ALSF NMP mapping due to vegetation obscuring view of the ground surface. A possible channel was visible on (S1) however this was not felt to be of definite archaeological origin and was therefore not mapped.
S. Massey (NMP), 03 March 2008.
Monument Types
- CASTLE? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOAT (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD to 2100 AD)
- BARN? (16th Century to 19th Century - 1600 AD? to 1900 AD?)
- HOUSE? (16th Century to 19th Century - 1600 AD? to 1900 AD?)
- ORCHARD? (16th Century to 19th Century - 1600 AD? to 1900 AD?)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Publication: Carthew, G. A. 1879. The Hundred of Launditch and Deanery of Brisley: In the County of Norfolk: Corrections and Continuations of and Additions to Blomefield's History. Pt 3. p 417. |
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 01 NW 11 [3]. |
| --- | 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. Swanton Morley. |
| <S1> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1970. CUCAP RC8-P 126-7 09-FEB-1970. |
Related records - none
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