Norfolk Heritage Explorer

This Parish Summary is an overview of the large amount of information held for the parish, and only selected examples of sites and finds in each period are given. It has been beyond the scope of the project to carry out detailed research into the historical background, documents, maps or other sources, but we hope that the Parish Summaries will encourage users to refer to the detailed records, and to consult the bibliographical sources referred to below.  Feedback and any corrections are welcomed by email to heritage@norfolk.gov.uk

This small parish is situated in the South Norfolk Local Government District, and has an area of just under 220 hectares. It is situated some 9km to the southeast of Norwich city centre, and is cut by the A146. The village is situated on the southern border and has almost merged with the village of Aplington in the neighbouring parish to the south. The name ‘Yelveton’ may derive from the Old English for Geldfrith’s enclosure. 

Only a small number of objects have been recovered from the parish, and there are only fifteen archaeological records. However some evidence has been recovered from the parish for the majority of chronological periods. The earliest object recovered is a Palaeolithic flint handaxe (NHER 9882) recovered in 1963. In addition to this a patch of dark soil and pot boilers dating to an indeterminate period of the prehistoric age has also been noted (NHER 9883).

Also of interest is a Bronze Age socketed axehead with decorated ribs (NHER 10328) which was found in 1975. No confirmed Iron Age objects have been recorded, although a terret ring that may date to the Iron Age or Roman period has been noted (NHER 33109). A number of Roman objects have also been discovered, including a silver finger ring and at least one gold coin (NHER 33109). Other objects include coins and pottery sherds (NHER 32092) and a vessel escutcheon (NHER 30897).

Metal detecting undertaken in this parish has uncovered a number of objects from the Roman to post medieval periods, but has been particularly beneficial in locating what may be an Early Saxon cemetery (NHER 33109). Objects recovered from this area include sleeve clasps and brooches, and have been found in the same area as Roman objects, possibly indicating some continued use between the two periods. A report from a site 600m to the north (NHER 31192) of Early Saxon metal objects may also be a cemetery.

Middle Saxon objects are not as common, and are restricted to a coin and brooch (NHER 31192). However in the Late Saxon period a hoard of twenty-one coins (NHER 37656) was deposited in the period AD 920 and 924, and this was recovered between 1994 and 1996. Other Late Saxon objects include a possible ingot (NHER 33109), pottery sherds (NHER 32092), and stray coins (NHER 31192).

It should also be noted that the settlement of Yelveton is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. Although it does not appear to be notably populous or valuable, the presence of a church is mentioned. St Mary’s Church (NHER 12903) is the only ecclesiastic site recorded in the NHER, and so it is thought likely that it was also the site of the Late Saxon church.

Today the earliest part of the church is the Norman window in the chancel, although a double splayed circular window was also uncovered in the chancel wall in 2006, so this may be the remains of possible Late Saxon work. In other respects the church appears to be from the Decorated and Perpendicular stylistic periods. Inside a lovely late screen survives, along with a 13th century square font and a small unidentified tombstone or coffin lid thought to date to the 13th century. 

Yelverton Hall (NHER 9921) sits within a medieval moated enclosure, although the building was probably built in the 17th century. It is of red brick with a pantiled roof and has a four bay façade, and was much remodelled in the 18th century and later.  No other confirmed medieval sites are recorded, but a possible medieval or post medieval hedgerow (NHER 4553) and the cropmarks of medieval to post medieval field boundaries (NHER 49529) are recorded. A few objects from the medieval period have also been found, including pottery and brick sherds (NHER 32092), as well as coins and harness fragments (NHER 33109).

Also of interest is Avenue Farmhouse (NHER 22795), a 17th and 18th century whitewashed brick building with pantile roofs and a possible older core, as well as Hill House (NHER 22796), which has a largely intact timber-frame dating to the 17th century with arch-braced tie-beams and a three-light hollow-mullioned window.

Ruth Fillery-Travis (NLA), 17 September 2007

Further Reading

Knott, S., March 2006. ‘St Mary, Yelverton’. Available:

http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/yelverton/yelverton.htm. Accessed 17 September 2007

Morris, J. (General Editor), 1984. Domesday Book, 33 Norfolk, Part I and Part II (Chichester, Phillimore & Co)

Pevsner, N., 1997. The buildings of England: Norfolk 2: Northwest and South (London, Penguin Books)

Rye, J., 1991. A Popular Guide to Norfolk Place Names (Dereham, The Larks Press)