NHER 7281 (Monument record) - Wendling Abbey

1957. Survey.
This site was examined under the marginal lands scheme by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments. The earthworks covering the foundation of the monastic buildings and the dykes and ponds further south were fully surveyed. The unpublished architectural fragments, two Early English column bases, a small capital and part of a window jamb were recorded and preserved at Abbey Farm.
Information from (S3).

Premonstratensian Priory, 1267-1537, on older moated site. Foundations and earthworks survive.
1829. Three stone coffins found
1896. Candlestick ploughed up

1996. Earthwork Survey.
See report (S4) for plan and further details. This site was included in (S5) and the survey is also noted in (S6).
P. Watkins (HES), 2 March 2015.

See brief notes, schedule, 1810 plan.
E. Rose (NLA) 2 December 1996.

July 1999. Field Observation.
Visit and additional survey to investigate new pond excavation.
See short report (S7) and plan.
B. Cushion (NLA) 9 July 1999.

Section 17 Management Agreement signed 7 January 2000.
H. Paterson (A&E) 7 February 2000.

June 2001.
Scrub has increased around area of old house. Site remains under pasture grazed by horses, no animal disturbance.
Owner undertaking some diversion of water courses. This is not affecting the scheduled area.
Tom Williamson (UEA) may consider using the site as a training subject for his students.
H. Paterson (A & E), 5 July 2001.

November 2002.
Good grass cover, grazed by horses, a little more disturbance. Increase of bramble and scrub along banks of stream obscuring foundations. Bridge has collapsed, leaving a projection of arch over stream on north side. Small 'pillar' of masonry near gate onto farm road becoming covered with ivy.
H. Paterson (A&E) 2 December 2002.

NGR corrected from original TF 9390 1281.
M. Horlock (NLA) 3 April 2003.

June 2004. Visit.
Horse grazing continues, with occasional grass cutting. Area south of stream will be grazed later in the year - here longer grass and nettles. Parch marks showing areas of walling. Masonry near stream in stable condition. Fragment near farm road shows increased ivy cover. This will be sprayed.
H. Paterson (A&E) 17 June 2004.

Section 17 Management Agreement renewed for five years from 10 January 2005.
H. Paterson (A&E) 20 January 2005.

April 2025. Wendling Beck and Fransham Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
Elements of the medieval abbey at Wendling are visible as structures, earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs and visualised lidar data (S8-S14). For the most part the mapping for the AIM mapping accords with earlier surveys of the sites. Recent digital aerial photography of the site (S13-S14) is particularly striking, in clearly showing the outlines of structural remains as narrow banks and parchmarks. This allows some additional elements to be mapped which did not appear to have been recorded by earlier surveys. Several broad, irregularly defined ditches mapped at and around the site are likely to relate to water management, and/or previous courses of the Wendling Beck. A curving ditched to the north of the abbey buildings which was noted in Bulwer’s published survey (S1) has the appearance of a scarp rather than a ditch on the aerial photographs (S9-S10). It may be a product of landscape to create a level and relatively drained area for the construction of the abbey church and monastic complex.
As the lidar survey (S12) and some of the aerial photographs (S13-S14) are relatively recent in date, it is likely that the structures and earthworks they show still survive.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 11 April 2025.