Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Site of castle, late 11th century. Given to Augustinian Canons as a priory in 1146.
Moats, earthworks, cropmarks, foundations and one pier base of church remain.
Abbey Farm may include parts of monastic buildings and is otherwise 16th to 18th century with much reused stone in one part, and possibly one complete stone wall (Grade II*).
17th century timber framed barn (Grade II).

1949.
Excavations on crossing of church.

1971.
17th century pottery (S25 and S26), etc. found in cesspit.

May 1996. Watching Brief.
Observations of a cable trench for Eastern Electricity recorded a wall close to the present farmhouse, perhaps part of the medieval priory.
See report (S24) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S28) and (S29).
M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 11 July 2013. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 4 March 2015.

1997.
The site of Old Buckenham castle stands next to the remains of the later Albini priory founded when the castle was abandoned in the late 11th century. The early castle consists of at least two roughly rectangular platforms, whose moats resemble a crushed figure of 8. The main defence was to the north and is now reached by modern causeway through the moat to the west. The remains of a rampart lines the inner shore of the still mostly water-filled moat, which strongly suggests that this enclosure was the main ward. The rampart to the west has been destroyed, probably as part of the 12th century demolition. To the north the rampart is about 8 feet high internally and about 200 feet above the water level. In several places there are traces of a flint built wall projecting from the north side.
See (S1) for further details.
S. Howard (NLA), 11 January 2010.

8 July 1996. NLA air photography.
Site visible.
H. Clare (NLA), 25 September 2001.

1999. Earthwork Survey.
See plan in file. This site was included in (S3) and the survey is also noted in

See full details, plans and drawings, schedule documents in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 5 Oct 1999.

The castle was founded by D'Albini in the late 11th century and in 1146 on the completion of New Buckenham Castle (NHER 40577) was granted to the Augustinian Canons. They built an abbey on the site but left the moats intact. The abbey was dissolved in 1536. Moats, earthworks, cropmarks, foundations and one pier base of the abbey church remain. Abbey Farm, a 16th to 18th century building, contains much reused stone including one complete wall which probably comes from the abbey. There is also a 17th century timber framed barn.
M. Dennis (NLA), 12 May 2006.

September 2009. Geophysical Survey.
A geophysical survey was undertaken to compare the results of a gradiometry and two-dimensional geophysical survey for detecting archaeological anomalies previous identified through aerial photography.
See report (S2) for further details.
S. Howard (NLA), 17 March 2010.

December 2010. Building Survey.
The tithe map depicts at least three of the buildings one of which matches the buildings still standing on the south-western area of the site. The results of the building recording indicate that the building ranges to the east are likely to have been contemporary and appear to have been constructed for the purpose of enclosing the farmyard with its access opposite the farmhouse. The long building appears to have been purpose built as a cow shed. The gable ends facing the farmhouse were more ornate than other parts of the buildings also reflecting their orientation in relation to the farmhouse. The north-eastern end of the south-eastern range includes the date stone 188[2?] W [TB?] which fits with the presence of these ranges on the 1887 map but absence from the 1841 tithe map. The western building ranges are of a similar style and material to the eastern ranges and it is likely that all building are broadly contemporary but that the absence of them on the 1997 map suggests that they might post-date the 1882 construction date for the eastern ranges. A piece of graffiti "LJ 1801" was recorded on a brick inside the south-west building range, which might indicate that this brick was re-used from an earlier building. The open-sided shelter of the western ranges included three extant wooden dividers and the remains of a hay rack indicating that this area was probably used to house cattle.
See report (S4) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S30).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.191).
S. Howard (HES), 12 March 2012. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 12 May 2019.

January 2011. Watching Brief.
An undated ditch and pit were recorded during the excavation and are likely to be earlier than the late 19th century construction of the extant ranges. The ditch was aligned closely with an extant ditch of the Abbey Farm drainage system and is likely to be of medieval or post-medieval date. A second linear feature of uncertain date may be a ditch or robbed-out wall. A brick-arched culvert may be contemporary with the 16th to 18th century farmhouse. Re-used medieval masonry was recorded in some of the standing buildings and part of a traceried window are likely to date to between AD 1280 and 1320.
See report (S4) for further details.
The archive associated with this work has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.191).
S. Howard (HES), 12 March 2012. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 12 May 2019.

June 2012. Norfolk NMP.
Old Buckenham castle is visible on aerial photographs (S5-S22) as earthworks and cropmarks. The moat itself has not been mapped, as its extent is visible on the available historic maps. Its extent is difficult to see on the earliest photographs (S5- S6) as it is covered with vegetation, and it appears to have been extended and re-dug in recent years (ie: between photographs from 1946 and 1970) (S7), prior to the earthwork survey (see above).
On the banked platform area within the moat, centred on TM 0718 9258, it is possible to distinguish a rectangular ditched area at TM 0716 9256 on the earliest photographs (S5, S6) which may relate to the ‘angular motte’ classified by Renn (S23), although it is difficult to be certain of this. The ditches measure 30m by 19m in maximum distance, with a possible division in the centre. A raised platform is also clearly visible on the photographs from 1970 (S7) centred on TM 0721 9262, and this has also been mapped, although it may relate to earth movement as a result of clearance of the moat.
On later photographs (S13) it is possible to distinguish six square vegetable plots, within the moated area, which remain visible on photographs as recently as 1999 (S21).
To the west of the moated area, centred on TM 0714 9249 (S8, S9, S11- S19) the parchmarks of a possible building footprint are visible, perhaps representing a range of buildings, measuring approximately 58m by 32m, with a possible bank to the south, measuring up to 7m in width. This may represent buildings associated with the priory that was founded on the site in 1146 (see above). Further soilmarks are visible to the west and have been recorded separately as NHER 57337.
E. Bales (NMP), 2012.

Monument Types

• POND (Unknown date)
• BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHURCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PRIORY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BARN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• CART SHED (19th Century - 1882 AD to 1900 AD)
• COW HOUSE (19th Century - 1882 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FLOOR TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRICK (16th Century to 18th Century - 1540 AD to 1799 AD)
• POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• TILE (16th Century to 18th Century - 1540 AD to 1799 AD)
• WALL PAINTING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument
• Listed Building
• Listed Building
• Listed Building

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Castles in Norfolk (Article)
• Old Buckenham, Old Buckenham Castle - Steve Eggleton (Archaeology and Art)
• Parish Summary: New Buckenham (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Old Buckenham (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Old Buckenham (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Old Buckenham (Parish Summary)