NHER 67262 (Monument record) - Site of Great Palgrave medieval village

Great Palgrave deserted medieval village.

April 1975. Survey.
Site surveyed by the Department of the Enviroment for scheduling.
Earthworks survive to the south and west of Great Palgrave Farm.
To the south of the farm there is a street with five to six house platforms and there are further earthworks of possible house platforms along the southern edge of the fields to the west of the farm. To the northwest, there is a moated site with a western entrance and several ditches to the east.
Information from Ancient Monuments form (S2).
See also National Heritage List for England (S1).
H. Hamilton (HES), 01 September 2023.

Pre-1982. Earthwork Survey and Documentary Research.
An earthwork survey and detailed documentary research were undertaken.
Documentary research confirms that the Domesday book contains three entries relating to Great Palgrave, which was referred to as Paggrava: one entry describing lands comprising a subbordinate settlement of Sporle (a royal demesne), and two smaller entries describing lands beloging to Count Alan and William de Warenne. There is no evidence that Great Palgrave ever had a church. In general, documents often did not differentiate between Great Palgrave and Little Palgrave, but a few 13th and 14th century references to Pargrave Magna could be identified. Blomefield (S) described two manors in Great Palgrave: the Manor of East Hall and the Manor of Wood Hall. The settlement continues to be referenced in 15th century documents, but no clues as to the condition of the settlement as this time could be identified. By the mid-17th century surviving documents suggest only two farms remained.

Six primary areas of earthworks were identified [1]:
1. Earthworks of an L-shaped moat (Context 2) were reocrded on the northeastern edge of the modern farm, approximately 150m from the tofts noted in 1975. The Enclosure Aware map depicts the eastern arm as extending further south. This moat appears to have had two large enclosures, one to the east of which no earthwork traces now remain, and one to the north of which only one side remains.
2. Approximately 350m to the northwest, a second moat (Context 1) with asquare plan was identified. These earthworks were noted by the Department of the Enviroment in 1975. A narrow, tapering enclsosure was identified to the east of this moat, and two square enclsoures to the west.
3. In the field immediately south of the farm, well-preserved earthworks of a street and house platforms noted in 1975 were recorded (These were not assigned a context number). Remains of five to seven tofts were identified.
4. A further small area oftwo to three house platforms was recorded to the north of the modern road, on the immediate west of the farm buildings. These are visible on an aerial ptograpf taken in 1960.
5. An aerial photographs taken by J.K. St Joesph in 1956 indicates a third possible area of house platforms to the east of the L-shaped moat and enclosures, aligned on a possible north-south street.
6. A third possible moated site (Context 4) was also identified approximately 250m to the west of the tofts.
7. Tracks running to the southeast and northwest (Context 3) were also noted.

Information from published report (S7)
See also HES 6" overlay.
See published summary (S6) for an earlier description of the site.
Amended [2] H. Hamilton (HES), 01 September 2023.

26 March 1987. Field Observation.
Scheduled areas of earthworks in very good condition (but only seen from road and footpath). Area around moat though not scheduled, also seems to retain earthworks. Farmhouse appears late 18th century, with contemporary outbuildings and one of 1977.
E. Rose (NAU) 26 March 1987.

January 1993. Field Observation by the Norfolk Monuments Management Programme.
Pasture fields under healthy grass cover, with a little erosion around feed bins in south field. Mole disturbance throughout. Moat wet to north and east. Platform remains under conifer plantation. Some tipping of agricultural waste in south arm of moat. Much dead wood, and increase of scrub on banks and in moat bottom.
H. Paterson (NAU) January 1993.

October 1995. Norfolk Monuments Management Programme [3].
Some tree felling to be carried out on moat interior. No ground disturbance envisaged.
H. Paterson (NLA), 6 December 1995.

February 1998. Field Observation by the Norfolk Monuments Management Programme.
Some lopping of conifer branches has been undertaken. Elder scrub increasing. This will be cut back. Moat wet and/or boggy. Earthworks under good grass cover, grazed by horses/cattle.
H. Paterson (NLA) 26 February 1998.

September 2011. Norfolk Monuments Management Programme.
New signed Management Statement received from owner.
K. Powell (HES), 9 September 2011.