NHER 2370 (Monument record) - Medieval moated site or medieval house platforms

Large triple moated site marked by Ordnance Survey, one arm enclosing the church and perhaps thus showing that church land was given by a grant of the Lord of the Manor.
Foundations of the old Toftrees village are said to lie to the west.

1973.
Context 1 at TF 898 275.
A late Thetford rim sherd found by [1].
Context 2. Casual find at TF 8982 2756 by A. Rogerson (NAU) just inside the northeast field gate.
Fragment of handle in hard sandy ware. Grey core, pink red exterior. Probably Grimston-Thetford.
E. Rose (NAU) October 1977.

P. Wade-Martins (NAU) however believes this is not a moat but house platforms with a hollow way running to the church.
E. Rose (NAU)

1981. NAU aerial photography.
Aerial phtographs show all ploughed out except for southernmost east to west ditch, shown on Ordnance Survey, which is wooded.
E. Rose (NAU) 10 May 1982.

Ordance Survey equate this with the site of Toftes, which (S1) and (S2) identify with Toftrees ('Toft' on (S3)).
(S4) records possessions of William de Warenne in Toffas (Toftrees) in the Hundred of Gallow and of Peter de Valognes in Toftes or Totes in the Hundred of Brothercross.
Toftrees lies near the common boundary of these Hundreds.
See (S5).
R. J. Rickett (NAU) 23 July 1990

What remains of this moated site south of Toftrees Church is a flat bottomed moat about 8m wide.
This runs about 100m northeast to southwest, narrowing into a ditch at its west end, and holding water to east.
A further moat about 3m to 4m wide runs north to south alongside the road, and holds water to south.
There are 2 breaks in the bank of the south arm.
Field to north freshly ploughed, no earthworks visible or pottery.
A little tile and animal bone near church.
Unkempt trees fringe the moat causing erosion by root action.
Considerable animal disturbance.
Site form in file.
H. Paterson (A&E) February 1991.