NHER 9131 (Monument record) - Medieval moated site

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Summary

Analysis of aerial photographs in the 1940s revealed a medieval moated suite surviving as earthworks at this site. The earthworks are believed to have been filled in shortly after the photographs were taken.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TM09NE
Civil Parish BESTHORPE, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Map

1 August 1977. NAU aerial photographs. Earthwork.
Moated Site. (Ordnance Survey antiquity).
D. A. Edwards (NAU) 17 March 1981.

Nothing remains of moat as shown on air photograph. Partly under farmyard, partly arable. Farmer states infilling took place many years ago, probably shortly after air photograph was taken.
H. Paterson (A&E) 18 March 1999.

March 2012. Norfolk NMP.
Examination of the available aerial photographs would confirm the presence of a moat (S1-S2), enclosing an area of up to 60m in width x 55m, centred on TM 0729 9642. There appears to be at least a partial bank or raised area within the moat (S2), and a possible bank to the south, visible as a soilmark on the most recent photographs (S7). The moat was filled in around 1978, probably shortly after S3 was taken and prior to S4. The moat is completely filled in on later photos (S5-S6). It is possible that this feature related to medieval to post medieval settlement on the edge of Ravens Green as depicted by Faden (S8), and could therefore be related to possible settlement to the west (NHER 54730).
E. Bales (NMP) 26 March 2012.

  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Besthorpe.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TM 09 NE 7 [3].
  • <S1> Vertical Aerial Photograph: USAAF. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC264 5053 31-MAR-1944 (NMR).
  • <S2> Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 1128-9 09-JUL-1946 (NMR).
  • <S3> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D, NLA. 1977. NHER TM 0796A-B (NLA AKS10-11) 01-AUG-1977.
  • <S4> Aerial Photograph: 1978. NHER TM 0796F (021-78-065) XX-XXX-1978.
  • <S5> Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D, NLA. 1984. NHER TM0796 H-J (NLA142/AUV1-2) 04-APR-1984.
  • <S6> Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D, NLA. 1989. NHER TM0796 K (NLA215/DXL7) 20-FEB-1989.
  • <S7> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Google Earth. ? - present. Google Earth Orthophotographs. https://earth.google.com/web. 1999 Accessed 08-MAY-2012.

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Record last edited

Feb 10 2021 2:23PM

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