Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Artificial mound of earth said to have been formed from silt dredged from the channel and used to watch shipping.
Possibly once known as Wellburgh.
Postdates guildhall of 1350, see NHER 6133, as it formerly covered one wall of this.
Foundations once visible on top are said to have been an inn.
See (S1).

19 December 1998. Site visit following observations by [1].
On the top of the smaller mound which is east of and adjoins Mariners Hill proper, a small square brick lined shaft.
Below this a concrete lined chamber about 2.3m deep, of uncertain dimensions, extending north and east so the shaft is in the southwest corner.
Probably an air shaft for a World War Two air raid shelter.
There are no surface indications of an entrance in the sides of the mound.
D. Gurney (NLA) 21 December 1998.

January 2003. Norfolk NMP.
A large artificial mound of earth (known as Mariners Hill) is clearly visible on OS 1995 (S12 and NLA 1990 (S3) and 1993 (S4) aerial photographs. The mound is centred on NGR TG0285 4409 and is about 50m across by 35m. It also appears to be formed of two different areas in as much as there is the main mound which is clearly higher and then adjoining it to the east there is a lower/smaller mound. This causes a stepped appearance. (They have been mapped as one mound). Its exact date and origin are uncertain though it seems likely to have once been a harbour lookout or beacon mount from the medieval or post medieval periods.
There seems to be some uncertainty as to whether the mound pre or post dates the adjacent Blakeney Guildhall (NHER 6133 NMR TG04SW12). The NHER entry concludes that it 'post-dates guildhall of 1350 as it formerly covered one wall of this'. However, the NMR entry states that 'it is possible the mound pre-dates the 15th century Guildhall to the west (TG04SW12), the undercroft of which appears to cut the western quadrant'. The NMR entry then goes on to say, 'because of its irregular spread, the fact that the Guildhall undercroft appears to cut it is not proof of its pre 15th century construction'.
H. Clare (NMP), 22 January 2003.

October 2003.
A notice inside the Guildhall states that the reference to Wellburgh was in 1627.
The Blakeney Churchmens Club (now the sailing club) was cut into the side of the mound in 1909.
E. Rose (NLA), 22 October 2003.

Monument Types

• BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• INN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOUND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BUILDING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• INN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• MOUND (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• AIR RAID SHELTER (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Blakeney (Parish Summary)