Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

October 1976.
Circular moat, shown on (S1) as having a gap to the west, but in fact the ditch continues across this. Ditch is still quite deep and holds water in parts; overgrown with trees. Central area has no trees, and vegetation has been burnt down when visited; no distinct platform. This is said by member of the public [1] to be referred to in the church records as the site of the hall, abandoned in about 1550. For the cropmarks outside see NHER 11373.
E. Rose (NAU), 27 October 1976.

December 1992.
Moat mostly wet.
H. Paterson (NAU), December 1992.

October 2002. Scheduled.
Scheduling description:
The monument includes a medieval moated site located approximately 530m north east of Manor Farm. In 1086 land at Colkirk was in the possession of Bishop of Thetford, William de Beaufoe, and from an early stage was held by the de Colkirk family. In the 12th century it passed by marriage to Roger de St Denys and subsequently to the de la Rokeles. In the 14th century it was held by the Baynards and descended, by marriage, through the Tilney and Bourchier families to the Knevets in the 16th century. The site is said to have been occupied by a hall which was abandoned in the mid-16th century. The moated platform, or island, is sub-circular in plan, measuring approximately 62m north-south by 50m, and the northern end is raised up to 1m above the surrounding ground level. It is surrounded by a moat which measures up to 10m wide and open to a depth of 2m and is partly water-filled. A low earthen causeway, measuring about 3m in width, crosses the western arm of the moat and is thought to indicate the position of an original access point. An east-west linear cropmark, visible on aerial photographs, is believed to mark the line of a former road leading towards the causeway. The cropmark feature is not included in the scheduling. Two sub-rectangular external ponds, interpreted as adjacent fishponds, are connected to the moat at the north east corner. The northern of the two is linked to the moat by a short channel which perhaps contained a sluice to control the flow of water, and the second, to the south of this, opens directly into the moat. The two ponds are separated by a low east-west baulk about 1.5m wide, and together occupy an area measuring approximately 30m north-south by 20m. A dry hollow and associated inlet channels, thought to be the remains of another fishpond and water management system, lie adjacent to the north west corner of the moat. The hollow is rhomboidal in plan, measuring 5m by 3m and up to 2m deep. Its longest side lies parallel to the moat, separated from it by a 1.5m wide earthen bank. The two inlet channels, separated by a mound, issue into the north east and north west corners of the hollow. All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.
Information from (S2) and (S3).
J. Allen (NLA), 2 January 2003.

September 2005.
This moated site comprises a circular moat, a sub circular central platform, a causeway across the moat, at least two fishponds and a cropmark of a road. It is thought that there was a medieval house on the site which was abandoned by the mid 16th century.
See (S3).
D. Robertson (NLA), 6 September 2005.

30th May 2013. Field Visit.
The site was visited as part of an Environmental Stewardship HLS consultation. The moated site was accessed via a well-used 'causeway' across the moat to the west. The moat itself contained a small amount of standing water. Numerous trees are growing within and around the moat itself and many have fallen, leaving dead wood. There is also a lot of vegetation on the banks of the moat. The central platform itself is remarkably free of trees, although heavily vegetated with some scrub.
K. Powell (HES), 17 April 2015

Monument Types

• CAUSEWAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ROAD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SLUICE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Colkirk (Parish Summary)