Record Details

NHER Number:4422
Type of record:Monument
Name:Moated site at Grange Farm

Summary

This is an area that was the principal local grange to medieval St Mary's Abbey (NHER 4396), the grange being replaced in the 17th century by a mansion, the remains of which were demolished in 1947. Within the area is a square moated feature surrounded by large banks and with a small central island. The feature is classified as a medieval moat, but it has also been suggested that it was an integral part of a 17th century garden landscape. Large quantities of medieval roof tile fragments, three bricks and a piece of pottery were collected from the surface in 2003, together with many post medieval pottery fragments and a brick. Perhaps the feature started out as a medieval moat and was re-landscaped in the 17th century as part of a garden layout.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 67186 03398
Map Sheet:TF60SE
Parish:WEST DEREHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

May 1977. Visited.
Moat (Ordnance Survey).
Wet, but shallow. Very small overgrown central island with no means of access. Around exterior of moat large banks, all under pasture. To west is dry, L-shaped ditch, deep. Here is a small farm building of conglomerate, but the lower southeast gable wall, footings, quoins and jambs are all of stone blocks, and also the outlines of some blocked small square windows in west wall. West of this foundations of farmhouse demolished late 1960s. Farmworker living nearby says there is a local legend that a church stood near here.
E. Rose (NAU), 25 May 1977.

Overall dimensions 40m east-to-west, 39m north-to-south. The water-filled arms attain a maximum depth of 1.8m and have a maximum width of 16m. The island shows no trace of a building and is 0.4m above the surrounding area.
No inlet is visible and the farmer states that the moat is spring fed. In the middle of the northeast arm an outlet is visible.
The island and ditch lips are close tree and shrub planted, giving an overall picturesque finish, this together with the moats physical relationship with adjacent boundaries and its topographical situation in a planted/landscape area 'formerly the gardens to Grange Farm' suggest it to be ornamental rather than defensive.
Information from Ordnance Survey Records.
R. J. Rickett (NAU), 8 March 1990

Moat water filled. Site scrub covered with a few mature trees. Severe cattle poaching in several areas.
H. Paterson (NLA), 13 May 1996.

June 2002.
Site scheduled. See schedule details (S1) in file.
M. Horlock (NLA), 5 August 2002.

2003. Surface collection. At TF 6724 0322, area of orchard.
See file for copy of 1810 map (S2) with names from rent books (S3) of same date.
One medieval unglazed sherd, much Glazed Red Earthenware and profuse medieval roofing tile fragments.
At TF 6719 0329, three medieval bricks and one post medieval brick.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 29 April 2003.

2006. Earthwork Survey.
See published article (S4) for a detailed discussion of the 17th-century garden earthworks identified. A draft of this article is also held by HES (S6).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 19 February 2014.

January 2007.
Scheduled monument consent granted concerning the replacement of poles on the boundary of the monument due to decaying of exisiting poles.
See (S5)
H. White (NLA), 6 April 2009

November 2008. Field visit.
The barn (at TF671033) standing within the Scheduled Monument area has a date stone (dated 1625) on the south gable. It has brick, limestone and carrstone walls, including some medieval stonework, with a chimney at the southern end. The roof is of corrugated iron.
D. Robertson (NLA), 19 December 2008.

Monument Types

  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • DOVECOTE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • GARDEN FEATURE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

  • Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TF6703A, B.
---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. Dereham (West).
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Designation: English Heritage. 1994? -2011?. English Heritage Digital Designation Record. Record. DNF324.
<S1>Designation: English Heritage. 1990-2013. English Heritage Scheduling Notification. Notification. DNF324.
<S2>Map: 1810. 1810 Estate Map (NRO BL 47/3).
<S3>Unpublished Document: 1810. Bagge Estate Rent Book (NRO BL X7) 11.
<S4>Article in Serial: Dallas, P. 2007. Seventeenth-Century Garden Earthworks at Grange Farm, West Dereham. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLV Pt II pp 188-197.
<S5>Designation: DCMS. [?]-2016. Scheduled Monument Consent. SAM Consent. DNF324.
<S6>Unpublished Report: Dallas, P. 2006. A Survey and Interpretation of Earthworks and Other Features at Grange Farm, West Dereham.. Publication draft.

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