Record Details

NHER Number:3429
Type of record:Monument
Name:Earthworks of a medieval moat

Summary

The earthworks of a rectangular medieval moat are visible on the ground and on aerial photographs.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 6633 1488
Map Sheet:TF61SE
Parish:MIDDLETON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

1 June 1966. Ordnance Survey air photography.
Moat.
D. Voisey (NLA), 7 December 1995.

Probable moated site said to be known locally as 'The Castle'.
(S1), undated, in T.H.Mck. Clough's (NCM) handwriting; no further information.

Visited by E. Rose (NAU) 7 July 1978.
Area totally overgrown. Interior of 'moat' seems to be raised as much as 2m above surrounding field, but bushes make height hard to estimate. Ditches are now impassible barriers of nettles, brambles, hawthorn etc. There is a pub called the 'Castle' in the village.
E. Rose (NAU).

(S2) shows this as a very well preserved rectangular moated site, with east side narrower than other arms.
Copy of photograph in file.
E. Rose (NAU) 26 September 1991.

December 2007. Norfolk NMP
Earthworks of a medieval moat are visible on aerial photographs (S2-S3). The moat is rectangular in plan with a ditch of up to 10m in width and internal dimensions of 44m by 39m. Narrow drainage ditches lead from the southern corners of the moat. It is likely that this moat is of medieval date. It is possible that it is related to earthworks of enclosures and field boundaries located immediately to its west (NHER 50750). Aerial photographs dating from March 1971 (S3) show soil being dumped in the area immediately to the east of the moat. This appears to have extended up to the edge of the moat and may explain why the ditch on the east side is narrower than the rest (See September 1991 entry above).
J. Albone (NMP), 18 December 2007

June 2008.
Proposals to construct holiday chalets on the south of the site.
See (S4) for further details
H. White, (NLA), 25 September 2009

Site visited 20th January 2009 by K. Hamilton and D. Robertson (NLA). The site was confirmed as a probable moat, with three sides clearly visible (the east side is no longer visible). The platform has a spread of 15th-16th century roof tiles and lumps of dressed and undressed carstone. The east side has disappeared under dumping and landscaping carried out under a pre-PPG16 planning permission.
K. Hamilton 18 November 2009

Monument Types

  • DRAINAGE DITCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1966. OS/66117 8 01-JUN-1966.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Middleton.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 3G/TUD/UK/100 5259-60 30-MAR-1946 (NHER TF 6614A-B).
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1971. OS/71013 62-3 12-MAR-1971 (NMR).
<S4>Unpublished Document: Adrian Parker Planning. 2008. Planning statement, Blackborough End, Middleton.

Related records - none

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