NHER 4396 (Monument record) - Site of St Mary's Abbey

Premonstratensian abbey 1188 to 1539, possibly on site of Late Saxon nunnery.
Mansion on site from 1695.

1969. Medieval sherds found.

1976. Minor excavations by tenant.

1977-1978. Metal detecting. Medieval harness pendant.

1990. Lead curse found.

November-December 1991. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation within and around ruins of West Dereham Abbey House. Undertaken prior to the conversion of the ruins into a house.
See report (S1), which was also reproduced in (S2). The results of this work are also summarised in (S3). See (S4), which was produced to support the application for Listed Building consent, for further information on West Dereham Abbey House.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 27 June 2005.

October 1992. Trial Trenching.
Excavation of additional trial trench adjacent to the north-west corner of West Dereham Abbey House.
See report in (S2).
P. Watkins (HES), 19 February 2014.

Winter 1992/1993. Building Recording.
Measured survey of the standing walls of West Dereham Abbey House prior to its redevelopment.
See report in (S2).
P. Watkins (HES), 19 February 2014.

22 July 1993. NLA air photography.
Ruined building visible.
Potential but vague (?) parchmarks and less distinct cropmarks visible.
Earthworks as marked on Ordnance Survey map visible.
M. Brennand (NLA), 12 February 2001.

January-February 1996. Watching Brief.
Observations made during the rebuilding and renovation of West Dereham Abbey House. This work resulted in the recognition of a previously unrecorded room in the mansion and an associated doorway.
See report (S5) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S6) and (S7).

Early 1996. Earthwork Survey.
See report (S8) for plan and details. This site was included in (S9).
P. Watkins (HES), 14 February 2014.

22 July 1996. NLA air photography.
Ruined building visible.
As are parchmarks/cropmarks of building ranges. These are showing very clearly.
H. Clare (NLA), 4 January 2002.

September 1996. Trial Trenching.
Trenches excavated within the ruins of the West Dereham Abbey House service wing prior to redevelopment.
See report (S10) for further details. This work is also summarised in (S11).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 19 February 2014.

May 1997. Watching Brief.
Trenches dug under archaeological supervision against the west wall of the service wing as part of underpinning work. Around this time trenches excavated for services cut through the upper fills of a large east-to-west linear feature on the south side of Abbey House. This is the feature that can be seen encircling the house on 19th century cartographic sources and is clear a garden feature.
See report (S10) for further details. This work is also summarised in (S11).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 19 February 2014.

See full details in file including copy of reference (S12), architect's plans and photographs and Ordnance Survey earthwork survey. See also press cuttings (S14) to (S18) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), March 1996.

An archive comprising material from work undertaken by the Norfolk Archaeological Unit between 1991 and 1997 has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.152).
P. Watkins (HES), 5 December 2022.

8 May 1998. NLA air photography.
Earthworks and fish ponds to south of the site are clearly visible.
No cropmarks can be seen.
S. Massey (NLA), 22 November 2001.

2001.
Scheduled area includes the remains of St Mary's Abbey within a monastic precinct surrounded by a moat, great house within the precinct later 16th century.
The remains of this have been converted to a farmhouse.
J. Allen (NLA), 16 August 2001.