NHER 12525 (Monument record) - Site of St Nicholas' Chapel and Nowers Manor

1986. Arial Photograph.
Aerial photographic discovery of site of St Nicholas's Chapel demolished in 14th century, and two buildings perhaps Nowers Manor. Fieldwork produced medieval tile and sherds which suggest a date not later than the 15th century. The chapel was apparently still in existence in 1430.
See notes and discussion in file, also see (S2) for short summary.
E. Rose (NAU), 29 October 1990 amended by M. Langham-Lopez (HES), 14 June 2013.

1991. Metal detecting finds.
Medieval metalwork.
See file.
A. Rogerson (NLA), 1 October 1991.

19 July 1994. NLA air photography.
Cropmark of church and Nowers Manor visible.
Additional cropmarks of a series of co-joined rectilinear enclosures. The main one of which is relatively broad ditched. These are to the east of the church and manor building, although they are probably related. A trackway is visible to the north, although it may be of recent origin.
S. Massey (NLA), 11 April 2001.

26 June 1996. NLA air photography.
Cropmarks, both positive and negative, are visible of the church and manor site and associated trackway and enclosures.
S. Massey (NLA), 24 September 2001.

See NHER 37942 for Bacton to King's Lynn proposed pipeline, plot 88 where geophysical survey revealed findings thought to be the remains of a deserted medieval village, which some of the anomalies correlated with cropmarks of this site.
J. Allen (NLA), 7 August 2007.

The cropmarks of the enclosures to the east and the trackway to north are now recorded as part of NHER 66274 along with further features identified as part of the Aylsham and Brampton Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.

December 2022. Aylsham and Brampton Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
The cropmarks of a medieval manor house (see above) and chapel (St Nicholas' Chapel) which may relate to the Bishop's manor site at Itteringham (Nowers Manor) are visible on aerial photographs (S3-S8). A section of a third possible building and sections of a rectilinear enclosure surrounding the site of the structures are also visible on the aerial photographs. The form of the cropmarks centred at approximately TG 1539 3034 suggests that the feature most likely relates to a former chapel, possibly the site of St Nicholas' Chapel. It consists of what appears to be a rectangular nave and an apsidal chancel (see S1). The adjacent rectilinear cropmark (centred at approximately TG 1540 3033) may relate to the site of a manor house associated with Nowers Manor. A section of a third possible building (centred at approximately TG 1540 3034) situated between the two structures may relate to an outbuilding or the site of an earlier hall (See S1). Cropmarks including boundary ditches, field boundaries, trackways and rectilinear enclosures (NHER 66274) which most likely relate to medieval settlement and farming can be seen to the north, south and east of the manor site. It is possible that these features may have been contemporary with the site of the manor. Multiple areas of pits can be seen across the site on the aerial photographs (S3-S8). The pits may relate to geological cropmarks and have therefore not been mapped. However, it is possible that some of the pit features dismissed as being geological, could be archaeological in origin. For further discussion of see S9.
J. Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 15 December 2022.