Record Details

NHER Number:9201
Type of record:Monument
Name:Double Banks earthwork

Summary

Despite its name, 'Double Banks' is a single bank with a ditch on either side (although there is some evidence that there was once a second bank in at least one section). Its northern end is linked to 'Bunn's Bank' (NHER 9206) by a ditch. The bank and ditches are undated, but it has been suggested they could be Iron Age or Saxon defensive earthworks. They were used during the medieval period to form part of the boundary to Buckenham deer park (NHER 44620).

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 0851 9406
Map Sheet:TM09SE
Parish:CARLETON RODE, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
OLD BUCKENHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

August 1951.
Flat topped bank about 6m (about 20ft) wide with narrow ditch 2.4m (8ft) wide and 1.8m (6ft) deep on each side. It runs from TM 0910 9359 to 0920 9390, and then a ditch alone goes on to join Bunn's Bank at TM 0780 9472. It is marked as 'Bunn's Bank' on (S1) but Clarke believed this was a mistake, and in fact it was later than Bunn's Bank, and added to it to form the park of New Buckenham Castle. A reference in (S2) to slight remains of Bunn's Bank at Pulley's Plantation is said by Clarke to refer to this, Pulley's being Pullyn's on (S1) and being the same as Oaks Farm (to northeast).
R. R. Clarke (NCM), 12 August 1951.

November 1976. Site Visit.
Despite name this is a single bank, though there may be slight suggestions of an eastern bank by the farm. Wet ditch on both sides. Height of bank difficult to estimate owing to covering of trees (some quite old) but about 3.6m (12ft) from ditch bottom. Ends at drainage ditch on south, runs north on sinuous course, cut by more ditches, and from its northern end the hedge line with trees and a ditch that runs on to Bunn's Bank is very old.
E. Rose (NAU), 17 November 1976.

This earthwork must surely predate the park.
E. Rose (NAU).

November 1976. Recommended for scheduling.
Description of monument:
Despite name, large single bank, though possible slight suggestions of vanished eastern bank. Wet ditch on both sides. Covered in old trees, about 4m high from ditch bottom. In 1951 R R Clarke recorded the bank as being flat-topped 20' wide and with ditches 8' wide and 6' deep on each side. This earthwork was later used as part of the medieval deer park of Buckenham Castle but surely must be an earlier feature (like Bunns Bank) perhaps Iron Age of Pagan Saxon.
Information from (S3).
E. Rose (NAU), 17 November 1976.

June 2012. Norfolk NMP.
This area was examined as part of the National Mapping Programme. It was possible to make out some evidence of Double Banks earthwork on aerial photographs (S4-S7), and the earthwork has been mapped as a possible bank with a ditch either side between TM 0910 9349 and TM 0913 9331, but elsewhere unfortunately the earthwork was obscured by trees and could not be accurately mapped.
E. Bales (NMP), 7th June 2012.

Monument Types

  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • DITCH (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Iron Age - 800 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • DITCH (Early Saxon - 410 AD? to 650 AD?)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Early Saxon - 410 AD? to 650 AD?)
  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Late Saxon - 851 AD? to 1065 AD?)
  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (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 - Medieval. Buckenham (Old).
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Designation: Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1975-?. Norfolk Archaeological Unit Recommendation for Scheduling. Recommendation. NHER9201.
<S1>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1824-1836. Ordnance Survey First Edition 1 inch..
<S2>Article in Serial: 1863. [unknown]. The East Anglian [Archaeology?]. Vol I, pp 308-9, 316.
<S3>Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. Norfolk Archaeological Unit: Recommendation for Scheduling.
<S4>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 3G/TUD/UK/59 5006-7 05-FEB-1946 (NMR).
<S5>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1947. RAF CPE/UK/1918 3151-2 09-JAN-1947 (NMR).
<S6>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1970. OS/70282 176-7 31-JUL-1970 (NMR).
<S7>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1995. OS/95513 182-3 09-APR-1995 (NMR).

Related records

44620Parent of: Buckenham deer park (Monument)

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