NHER 7727 (Monument record) - Site of a medieval hermitage between Morton Bridge and Attle Bridge

Site of Hermitage (S1).
A local legend says that during the Civil War two silver bells were sunk in the river for safety, and never recovered.

1813. Find.
In 1813 the head of a processional cross was found in a bank at a location named as 'Hill the Hermitage on the Walsingham Way, by Attlebridge', which may be this site. The cross is brass and depicts a crucifix flanked by the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Peter.
Information from (S3).
E. Rose (NAU).

Sometime in the 1960s. Find.
A stone carving of two figures in the recess of an arch was found in the river. The carving was kept in a local garden until 1994, when it was moved into Attlebridge church (NHER 7748). See further description below.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 29 November 2007.

1974 (or earlier). Dowsing.
In 1974 informant [1] claimed to have located an outer wall, 30cm to 46cm (1ft to 18 inches) across, while dowsing. A plan (S2) was deposited in Garsett House.

June 1978. Site visited.
The site was overgrown by long grass, but there were indications of a slight mound.
E. Rose (NAU), 14 June 1978.

1994.
The carving found in the river in the 1960s (see above) was moved into Attlebridge church (NHER 7748). It has been dated to the 15th or early 16th century and probably derives from the hermitage site. The figures may represent the founder and his wife.
NB - this item was reinterpreted in 2006. See below.
See sketch (S4) in file.
Dated by/suggestion from E. Rose (NLA).
D. Gurney (NLA), 1 August 1994.

2006. Interpretation of the architectural fragment.
The 1994 sketch in file is misleading, see (S5) in file. [1]. Figures are a suppliant in clerical dress kneeling before a female figure, presumably the Blessed Virgin. The surround is a cusped arch beneath a straight head with battlements. To each side of the carving are coping-shaped projections. One suspects this may well be a dedicatory plaque from the parapet of the bridge (NHER 7738), perhaps under the aegis of the hermit. (S6) implies that this was the case and notes that the hermitage was dissolved in 27 Elizabeth I.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 July 2006.