Record Details

NHER Number:9497
Type of record:Monument
Name:Possible site of Hethel deserted medieval settlement

Summary

The possible site of Hethel deserted medieval settlement, which is visible as surface marks and as earthworks on aerial photographs. The site is close to an isolated church (NHER 9523) and an abandoned moated site (NHER 9507).

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 172 004
Map Sheet:TG10SE
Parish:BRACON ASH, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Site of Hethel deserted medieval village, surface marks.
This is a pasture field, no more bumpy than any other.
According to owner of Moat House (Old Rectory) an excavation took place here in 1959, but no record of this exists.
E. Rose (NAU), 9 November 1978.

March 2011. Norfolk NMP.
Part of the deserted medieval settlement described above is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs (S1-S6). A possible road or hollow way runs north-south across the site from TG 1724 0050 to TG 1719 0037 in the form of an earthwork ditch. It measures approximately 8m in width, and is crossed by a perpendicular ditch at TG 1721 0041.
E. Bales (NMP), 29 March 2011.

2012. Field visit.
Earthworks of ditches and a hollow way survive.
D. Robertson (HES), 2 May 2014.

September 2014.
Section 17 agreement covering earthwork survey signed.
See (S7)
D. Robertson (HES), 7 October 2014.

May 2015. Earthwork Survey.
This survey sought to clarify the nature of the previously identified earthwork features.
The main features are two connecting linear depressions, one aligned east-to-west and the other north-to-south. Both are thought to be medieval hollow ways. Some sub-division can be seen in the north-eastern part of the site, where a number of shallow ditches and slight banks were recorded. Irregular features in the southern part of the site were probably associated with shallow extraction near to the existing ponds. No building platforms were noted.
See report (S8) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 November 2016.

Monument Types

  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • HOLLOW WAY? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ROAD? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • Section 17 Agreements

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Archive: Norfolk Monuments Management Project File.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Bracon Ash.
<S1>Vertical Aerial Photograph: USAAF. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC/264 5046-7 31-MAR-1944 (NMR).
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1606 1074-5 27-JUN-1946 (NMR).
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1962. RAF 543/1883 0164-5 27-SEPT-1962 (NMR).
<S4>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1972. OS/72034 045-6 22-MAR-1972 (NLA).
<S5>Vertical Aerial Photograph: BKS. 1988. BKS 2376-7 06-AUG-1988 (NCC 9197-8).
<S6>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Google Earth. ? - present. Google Earth Orthophotographs. https://earth.google.com/web. 02-JUL-2006 Accessed 29-MAR-2011.
<S7>Unpublished Document: Norfolk County Council. 2014-15. Norfolk Monuments Management Project Section 17 agreement.
<S8>Unpublished Contractor Report: Cushion, B. 2015. Bracon Ash. Hethel Deserted Settlement. HER 9497. Archaeological Earthwork Survey. Brian Cushion Archaeological & Cartographical Surveyor.

Related records - none

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