NHER 4185 (Monument record) - Site of Benedictine Priory Cell, Sporle with Palgrave

Site of Benedictine Alien Priory Cell 1123-1414. Cropmarks, some remains now removed.
Around 1900. Carved stones found.
1983. Prehistoric, medieval, Late Saxon, post medieval sherds
1991. Found with metal detector. Medieval metalwork (S1).
See details in file.
Photograph in file.
E. Rose (NAU) 18 October 1983.

Before 4 September 2012. Stray Find.
Found on molehill:
1 Late Neolithic/Early Neolithic barbed and tanged flint arrowhead. Unusually small example.
Identified by P. Robins (NCM), September 2012. See description in file [1].
P. Watkins (HES), 13 April 2020.

September 2023. Wendling Beck and Fransham Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
Earthworks (since levelled) most likely associated with the site of a medieval Benedictine Alien Priory Cell (see above) are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 1955 (S2-S4). The majority of the earthworks have been levelled by 1976 and are visible as soilmarks (S5). Some of the features (such as the pits centred at TF 8505 1141 and TF 8506 1140) are still visible as very low earthworks on the visualised lidar data (S6). As the lidar survey was flown relatively recently (2017) it is likely that these features still survive. The site is now under a sports field visible on recent (2022) aerial photographs (S7). The features are not mapped on the readily accessible historic maps; however, “Site of St. Mary’s Priory” is denoted on S8 and S9 in close proximity to the location of the mapped features.
J. Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 29 September 2023.