Record Details

NHER Number:21807
Type of record:Monument
Name:North Sea Bank medieval sea defence bank

Summary

A length of possibly medieval sea defence bank, visible as a relatively extensive earthwork on 1946 RAF vertical aerial photographs.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 6020 1702
Map Sheet:TF61NW
Parish:CLENCHWARTON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
KING’S LYNN, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
WIGGENHALL ST GERMANS, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Earth bank mentioned in early medieval documentation. Land is higher on north than south suggesting silt piled against north side. Runs from river Nar to former east bank of old Great Ouse channel, though section between present Eau Brink Cut and Cut-Off Channel has been levelled. Suggested as sea defence superseding a postulated older bank further south connecting with Green Dyke (NHER 21806) and predating Scaleshowe Bank (NHER 21808). Partly followed by parish boundary.
Informant [1] sees this as connected with the Sea ('Roman') Bank system but R.J. Silvester (NAU) is doubtful.
E. Rose (NAU), 16 October 1985.

July 2003. NMP.
Earthwork of probable medieval date visible on 1946 RAF aerial photographs (S1). The bank is visible within the map square TF61NW for a length of 1.7km, running from TF 6168 1702 to TF 6000 1682. The bank is aligned in an east to west direction and runs from the eastern bank of the River Ouse Eau Brink Cut eastwards to the River Nar.
M. Brennand (NMP), 6 August 2003.

Monument Types

  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Unknown date)
  • SEA DEFENCES (Unknown date)
  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • SEA DEFENCES (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SEA DEFENCES (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Monograph: Manning, M. (ed). 1988. Commons in Norfolk: Historical and Ecological Studies of Selected Commons.. p 21-8.
<S1>Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1427 4307-8 16-APR-1946.

Related records - none

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