NHER 4059 (Monument record) - Wicken deserted medieval village

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Summary

This is the possible site of the deserted medieval village of Wicken, visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and on the ground. Former boundaries, a hollow way and building platforms have survived as earthworks. A mid 18th century map of the parish shows several farm buildings on this site, and the earthworks may relate to these post medieval buildings, rather than a medieval settlement.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TF81NW
Civil Parish	CASTLE ACRE, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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Full Description

Pre January 1977, 21 June 1977.
Cambridge University Collections, NAU aerial photographs.
Earthworks at Old Wicken Farm, the site of Wicken deserted medieval village.
J. E. Bown (NAU) 11 December 1980.

Marked on (S1) as 'Castle Acre Wicken, demolished'.
E. Rose (NAU)

(S2) shows present Old Wicken Farmhouse as south side of huge quadrangle of buildings filling the whole field and doubtless responsible for some of earthworks.
E. Rose (NAU) and R. Rickett (NAU) 1 October 1985.

Earthworks survive to 1m in places, with holloway and possible platforms visible on ground.
Only 4 trees survive from line shown crossing site on air photograph.
Would merit an earthwork survey to determine character.
H. Paterson (A&E) 18 February 1993.

September 1994. Earthwork Survey.
Remnants of enclosure boundaries, possible trackway and one platform.
Flint wall is probably trace of buildings shown on (S2). See report (S3) for further details.
Site extended as on 1:1000 survey plan. Features on Cambridge University Committee of Aerial Photography aerial photograph's transposed thereonto.
Survey also noted in (S5).
B. Cushion (NLA) September 1994.

Under grazed pasture, minimal cattle poaching near farm buildings.
H. Paterson (A&E) 17 September 1998.

Associated Sources (11)

--- SNF11670 Aerial Photograph: TF8017 A-H,J-R,V,W.
--- SNF87263 Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Castle Acre.
--- SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
--- SNF57204 Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 81 NW 6.
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
--- SNF8807 Slide: Various. Slide.
<S1> SNF6047 Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797.
<S2> SNF58295 Map: 1715 to 1719. The manors and town of Castleacre, now in possession of the Hon. Thomas Coke Esq..
<S3> SNF92582 Unpublished Report: Cushion, B. 1994. Old Wicken SMR4059. Earthwork Survey Report.
<S4> SNF93798 Illustration: Cushion, B. 1994. Plan of earthworks at Old Wicken SMR 4059. Film. 1:1000.
<S5> SNF86419 Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 1995. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1994. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt II pp 230-239. p 232.