Skip over navigation

View a printer friendly version of this page

Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	6029
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Site of Harling Old Hall and Herling's Manor

Summary

Harling Old Hall was built around 1490 almost certainly on the site of medieval Herling's Manor. The Old Hall was demolished in the 19th century. Earthworks of a medieval moated site with internal features, an adjoining enclosure with possible medieval fishponds within it and flint and brick foundations of post medieval kitchen, garden and orchard walls have been recorded at the site, some of which are visible on aerial photographs and have been mapped as part of the National Mapping Programme. During development of a vineyard nearby a post medieval tile kiln was found.

Images

Location

Grid Reference:	TL 9920 8681
Map Sheet:	TL98NE
Parish:	HARLING, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

Site of Harling

Built in 1490 possible on site of earlier hall. 17th and 18th centuries, demolished 19th century. Moated. Cropmarks of ?tofts. Kiln for land drains and tiles, 19th century.

17 August 1955.
Small brick channel coverd with limestone window mullions exposed in trench running northeast to southwest. Could be a water supply to the hall?
R.R. Clarke (NCM).

1978 to 1979. From moat meadow.
Seven medieval sherds. See list in file.
Undecorated bronze sheep bell.
Two lead dishes.
Lead ampulla with crowned W. See (S1) and (S2).
Identified by S. Margeson (NCM).

1979. Excavations.
Revealed a large infilled area containing 18th century glass, ironwork, stoneware, lead weights. Finds included a 10th century strap end (S11). See list in file.

September 1979. Excavations.
Machine cut trenches. Roman pottery in spoil;. On surface medieval metal finds (S12). See list in file. These include a bronze headed animal spout.
Identified by B. Spencer (Museum of London) and S. Margeson (NCM).

19 November 1979. Excavations.
Of south end of upstanding foundations. Found a flint and brick wall running east to west. 50cm wide exposed for 1m. On the other side of the adjacent hedge was found a north to south wall of similar construction. The footings were covered by layers of compacted sand, brick and rubble. These resemble demolition layers.

20 October 1984. Visit.
Report of brick footings. Scatters of brick and mortar can be seen in the field. Animal bone, roof tiles and sherds were collected. The foundations look like the remains of a wall of a walled garden probably of 17th to 18th century date though possibly late 16th.
E. Rose (NAU), 21 October 1984.

1986. Fieldwalking.
One Iron Age sherd.
Fourteen Roman.
Five Thetford type.
Eighteen medieval unglazed.
Six late medieval/transitional.
One tin glaze earthenware.
Identified by A. Rogerson (NAU).

1996. Earthwork survey.
Identified a new medieval occupation site, perhaps the original hall, to the northwest. Iron Age, Roman, Saxon and medieval pottery found.
See report (S3) for plan and further details. This site was included in (S13) and the survey is also noted in (S14)
B. Cushion (NLA), October 1996.

December 1996. Geophysical survey.
Substantial area of enclosure related to East Harling Hall identified. Further survey recommended.
See report (S4) for further details. The results of this survey are also summarised in (S15).
M. Dennis (NLA), 8 February 2006.

April 1997. Geophysical survey.
Main feature identified within previous survey is a moated enclosure. No firm indications of building foundations.
Within platform of moated enclosure Roman and medival sherds. Identified by A. Rogerson (NLA).
See (S5) for further details. The results of this survey are also summarised in (S16).
M. Dennis (NLA), 8 February 2006.

February 1999. Trenches dug by workmen.
Revealed garden walls. Walls and other features related to later phases of activity peripheral to the house.
B. Cushion, 17 February 1999.

August 1999. Trenches dug by workmen.
An area of rammed chalk exposed. Small building or yard likeliest explanation. Non alignment with flint and brick buildings to west this structure probably dates later than them. Substantial structures did not exist further east than the upstanding surveyed fragments.
B. Cushion, 4 August 1999.

Management Statement signed (two owners) 1 August 1996/27 September 1999. See copy in file.
H. Paterson (NLA), 4 October 1999.

March 2008. Watching brief.
No archaeological finds or features were encountered.
See report (S6) for further details.
E. Bales (NLA), 28 May 2008.

September 2012. Norfolk NMP.
Some of the earthworks recorded during the geophysics surveys (S4)-(S5) and the earthwork survey (S3) mentioned above are visible on aerial photographs (S7)-(S10) of the land surrounding Waterways Farm, East Harling.
Most notable is the discreet moat, centred on TL 9937 8686, which measures approximately 59m by 46m internally, and appears to contain possible ridge and furrow, although this may be a later feature.
A second area of earthworks is visible at TL 9902 8684, but this was not as substantial as that recorded during the earthwork survey (S6).
E. Bales (NMP), 05 September 2012.

Monument Types

BRIDGE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
GREAT HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
HOUSE PLATFORM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD? to 1900 AD?)
TOFT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
GARDEN WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
GREAT HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
GREAT HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
TILE KILN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
TILE WORKS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
WATERCOURSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)
BELL (Undated)
PLATE (Undated)
POT (Undated)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Undated)
POT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
POT (Early Saxon - 411 AD to 650 AD)
POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
STRAP FITTING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
AMPULLA (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FIGURINE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
MINIATURE OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
BOTTLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
KILN WASTE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
ROOF TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
WEIGHT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

SHINE
Management Statement

Sources and further reading

---	Article in Serial: Cozens-Hardy, B. 1961. Some Norfolk Halls. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXII pp 163-208. p 181.
---	Aerial Photograph: TL9986 A,B,C-D,F-J,K-L.
---	Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
---	Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TL 98 NE 18; TL 98 NE 22.
---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Newspaper Article: Norwich Mercury. 1797. [unknown]. 15 April.
---	Newspaper Article: Norwich Mercury. 1797. [unknown]. 9 September.
---	Correspondence: Cott, P.J. and Cushion, B.. 1996-7. Letters. Re Geophysical surveys at Harling Hall.
---	Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 321.
---	Serial: 1955. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries. No 2. p 5.
---	Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Harling [2].
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
---	Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
<S1>	Illustration: Frost, A.. 1979. Drawing of a medieval ampulla.. Card. 1:1.
<S2>	Photograph: 1979. Finds from site of Harling Hall.
<S3>	Unpublished Report: Cushion, B. 1996. East Harling SMR6029. Earthwork Survey Report.
<S4>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Cott, P. J. 1996. Waterways Farm, East Harling. Resistivity Survey.
<S5>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Cott, P. J. 1997. Waterways Farm, East Harling. Resistivity Survey.
<S6>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Birks, C. 2008. Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief at Waterways Farm, East Harling, Norfolk. Chris Birks Archaeological Services. CB118R.
<S7>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 3G/TUD/UK/59 5244-5 05-FEB-1946 (NMR).
<S8>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1707 3159-60 29-AUG-1946 (NMR).
<S9>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF CPE/UK/1801 3087-8 25-OCT-1946 (NMR).
<S10>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1947. RAF CPE/UK/1918 3109-10 09-JAN-1947 (NMR).
<S11>	Illustration: Frost, A.. 1979. Drawing of a Late Saxon strap-end.. Card. 1:1.
<S12>	Illustration: Frost, A.. 1979. Drawing of a medieval bird vessel fragment.. Card. 1:1.
<S13>	Monograph: Cushion, B. and Davison, A. 2003. Earthworks of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 104. p 97.
<S14>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1997. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1996. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt IV pp 547-564. p 553.
<S15>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1998. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1997: Addenda. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt I pp 210-211. p 211 (for 1996).
<S16>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1998. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1997. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt I pp 193-210. p 198.