Record Details
| NHER Number: | 12554 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Little Switzerland and Paradise Plantations, post medieval chalk pits |
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Summary
These chalk pits were in operation in the 18th to 19th centuries. Canals went right up to the working faces and wherries took the chalk to Acle Bridge Kiln, Limekiln Dyke at Barton Turf, and also Dilham, Reedham, Stalham and Great Yarmouth. There is a post medieval red brick bridge called High and Low Bridge over the canal in Paradise Plantation. Trees were planted in the pits after they became disused.
Images - none
Location
Full description
18th to 19th century chalk pits, in which canals went right up to the working faces (and note also Marlstaithe Farm and Reach) from which wherries took the material to Acle Bridge Kiln, Limekiln Dyke at Barton Turf, and also Dilham, Reedham, Stalham and Great Yarmouth. Large heaps of overburden give the area its name.
Information from [1].
25 August 1980. Visit. High and Low Bridge. Context 1 at 2740 1742.
Very tall red brick structure but with low arch for water, hence name (see below) - more like a causeway. Part of parapet recently fallen. Its arch is so low that it may have been constructed after the cut known as Paradise went out of use (see below). This cut is deep through chalk, but now with very little water and mostly overgrown. Marlstaithe Farm has apparently been demolished. Was low arch to regulate size of cargoes as on Dilham canal?
E. Rose (NAU), 25 August 1980.
May 1983.
Cut Plantation Cut still waterfilled.
E. Rose (NAU).
In fact the bridge did originally have an extremely high arch, but the cut has been infilled to a large degree by hillwash.
The bridge is said to get its name from the fact that it had a high arch, but was set low as regards the approach on each side. After disuse the cut was planted with trees and given the name Paradise, as on (S1).
See various press cuttings of 1965 and 1981 in (S2).
E. Rose (NAU), 21 October 1988.
These pits appear as simple pits on (S3), as pits with attachment to river on (S4), and identical to present layout on (S5).
E. Rose (NLA) 26 July 1999.
See also NIAS records (S6)
W. Arnold (HES) 08/12/2010
Monument Types
- BRIDGE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- CANAL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- CHALK PIT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TG2717 A,B,C. |
| --- | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1824-1836. Ordnance Survey First Edition 1 inch.. |
| --- | Map: Bryant, A.. 1826. Bryant's Map of Norfolk. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797. |
| --- | Publication: Norfolk Heritage. 1977. Water Transport in Norfolk. Little Switzerland. |
| --- | Article in Serial: Woodward, S.. 1830. [unknown]. Correspondence. Vol IV, p 114 rear. |
| --- | Slide: Various. Slide. |
| --- | Photograph: ELP 1-18. |
| <S1> | Map: Ordnance Survey, First Edition, 6 Inch. 1879-1886. Ordnance Survey 1st Edition 6 inch map.. |
| <S2> | Archive: Bolingbroke Collection. |
| <S3> | Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797. |
| <S4> | Map: Bryant, A.. 1826. Bryant's Map of Norfolk. |
| <S5> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1824-1836. Ordnance Survey First Edition 1 inch.. |
| <S6> | Archive: NIAS. Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Records. |
Related records - none
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