Record Details
| NHER Number: | 4191 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Earthworks of a probable medieval moat |
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Summary
A section of probable medieval moat can be seen as an earthwork on relatively recent (2017) visualised lidar data. The moat likely surrounded a medieval rectory (recorded form documentary evidence) which probably stood on this site, from at least 1400, and perhaps in the 13th century. An 18th century former rectory, incorporating parts of an earlier house dating to about 1600, now occupies the site.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 8958 1327 |
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| Map Sheet: | TF81SE |
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| Parish: | FRANSHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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| GREAT FRANSHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Semi circular moat marked around this house on (S1).
P. Wade-Martins (NAU)
May 1978.
Course of moat now marked by bank about 1.5m high in garden.
House is Georgian and now called The Old Rectory, which would be common for a moated site.
E. Rose (NAU)
(S1) actually shows three sides of a rectangular moat, one of which survives.
Although the front block of the house is high quality Georgian, the rear wing encapsulates a house of about 1600 which may have had earlier origins.
See (S2) in file, which notes documentary evidence that a rectory has stood on the site since about 1400, and possibly since the 13th century. Therefore the moat must have belonged to the medieval rectory.
E. Rose (NLA), 21 September 2005.
January 2024. Wendling Beck and Fransham Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
A section of probable medieval moat (see above) can be seen as an earthwork on relatively recent (2017) visualised lidar data (S3). The mapped section of ditch appears to be part of a modern garden on the recent (2022) aerial apographs (S4). It is possible that the mapped feature may have related to a section of the previously recorded medieval moat (see above), which has now been incorporated into the modern garden. A low curvilinear hollow which follows the approximate alignment of the moat as recorded on S1 (reproduced in S5) is also visible on the visualised lidar data. The hollow (mapped by extent) may relate to the former extent of moat. As the lidar survey was flown relatively recently (2017) it is likely that the features still survive earthworks.
J. Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 25 January 2024.
Monument Types
- BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- VICARAGE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
- HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
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. Fransham, Great. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Miscellaneous. Fransham. |
| <S1> | Map: Browne, J.. 1807. Great Fransham, Little Fransham and North Pickenham Enclosure Award and Map. |
| <S2> | Unpublished Document: Rose, E. (NLA). 2005. Building Report.. Building Report. |
| <S3> | LIDAR Airborne Survey: Environment Agency. Environment Agency LIDAR Data. National LIDAR Programme TF81SE DTM 1m 17 to 24-NOV-2017. |
| <S4> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: Bluesky International Ltd and Getmapping Plc. unknown. Aerial Photography for Great Britain (APGB) Orthophotographs. https://www.apgb.co.uk. Bluesky International Ltd APGB Imagery TF8913 17-JUL-2022. |
| <S5> | Monograph: Rogerson, A. 2022. Fransham: People and Land in a Central Norfolk Parish. East Anglian Archaeology. No 176. pp 106. |
Related records - none
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