NHER 52069 (Monument record) - Probable site of medieval village of Gowthorpe

April 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The site of the medieval village of Gowthorpe is recorded at this general location. The cropmarks of enclosures, fields and boundaries are visible on the aerial photographs and these may reveal traces of this settlement (S1-S3). The site is centred on TG 2106 0214. Gowthorpe Manor, sometimes referred to as Swardeston Hall, is located to the immediate west (NHER 9716). The hall is though to date to 1530 (NHER 9716) (S5), but a 15th century core for the structure has been suggested (S6). A more recent building report identified late medieval style timber frame and brickwork, however a 1530 date was preferred. It is feasible that the 16th century hall is located on the site of an earlier medieval manorial structure. The site of St James’s chapel (NHER 9717), which served the village, is located within the centre of the site. The meeting place of the Humbleyard Hundred court (NHER 9750) is also located within the extent of this site. An embanked route or track leading towards the village and manor from the south (NHER 52084) may represent the remains of a medieval road to the site. Further cropmarks possibly likely to relate to medieval to post medieval field boundaries have also been recorded to the west of the site (NHER 52062) and some of these may be contemporary with the medieval settlement.

It has been suggested that the village of Gowthorpe was declining from the fourteenth century (S4-S5) and see secondary file for NHER 9717. St James’ chapel, which served the manor from 1286 until as late as 1509, was annexed and consolidated to Intwood church in 1401 (S4) suggesting a dwindling congregation being served by the chapel. There was no obvious sign of the village or the chapel by the late 18th century (S4). The exact site of the village of Gowthorpe was previously unknown, although it has been assumed to be located around the or in the vicinity of St James’ chapel.

The cropmarks can be divided into two main areas, a northern group adjacent to the manorial hall (TG 2100 0236) and a southern group in the area of the chapel (TG 2104 0210). The cropmarks recorded are not particularly indicative of an area of medieval settlement. The majority of the features would best be described as boundary ditches and field boundaries (S1, S3), in particular the southern features, those to the west and south of the chapel site. The northern cropmarks could feasibly relate to fragments of a small medieval settlement (S2), although again the majority of the cropmarks could easily relate to field or land divisions, potentially some of which associated with earlier layouts of the manorial hall grounds. The small rectangular enclosure at TG 2098 0240, measuring 15m by 10m (S1) could relate to a toft or similar domestic structure.

To the east of the chapel are possible banked enclosure (or pair of banked boundaries) was mapped. These broadly follow the same alignment as the ditches recorded to the west of the chapel. It is therefore possible that these also relate to the medieval settlement. Discussion of these former earthworks is included in the record for the ‘site of Humble Yards’, the moot or meeting place of the Humbleyard Hundred (NHER 9750), due to the banks previously being attributed to the moot site. A pond and water channel within the area of these banks, depicted on the 1847 Swardeston Tithe map (S8) at TG 2113 0213, may relate to a former medieval water management feature, although it is also feasible to relate to the known post medieval industrial activity at this location. The presence of numerous extraction pits and the fact that the land to the north of the Green was known as Brick Kiln Close in the late 18th century (S4) would indicate the former use of this area for clay extraction and the manufacture of bricks. A series of water-filled ponds are marked on the 1847 Swardeston Tithe map (S8) are likely to be the remains of former extraction pits, although it is also possible that they relate to fish ponds associated with the Gowthorpe manor and/or the village. See NHER 52066 for discussion of the probable industrial features in this area.
S. Horlock (NMP), 28 April 2009.

2010. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed quarry extension areas.
The four easternmost cropmarks in this group fell within the area examined. There was no clear evidence for surviving sub-surface remains.
See NHER 57922 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 January 2023.

March-September 2012. Watching Brief.
Examination of easement stripped during installation of underground electricity cable along northern edge of southern field (Area 2).
No archaeologically-significantly features were observed.
It should though be noted that conditions were far from ideal, as the easement had not been stripped under archaeological supervision and was clearly significantly distrubed by the time it was observed.
Finds were limited to tiny scraps of undatable ceramic building material (now discarded).
See report (S9) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 August 2021.