Details

The monument includes a medieval moated site located 430m south west of
Bradenham Hall. The moat is one of ten recorded in the parish of Bradenham. In
1086, land in Bradenham was in the possession of William of Warenne and
Ralph of Tosny. William of Warenne's land passed to the Kaillis, or
Caleys, and in the 14th century it was held by the de Cliftons. By the
15th century, the land had passed to the Knevets of Buckenham Castle. The
land held by de Tosny was, by the 13th century, in the hands of William
de Bradenham, but was later united with the lands originally held by
William of Warenne.

The moated platform, or island, is roughly D-shaped in plan, measuring
approximately 62m north-south by 60m. The east, north and west arms of the
moat are fairly straight, with a curving southern arm. The platform is raised
up to 0.5m above the surrounding ground level. Two areas, at the north east
corner and at the eastern side, are raised up to 0.5m above the general level
of the platform and are thought to mark the site of buildings. A roughly
circular hollow lies at the southern edge of the raised area located at the
north east corner of the platform. The hollow measures approximately 4m in
diameter and up to 0.75m deep and probably marks the location of a former
pond.

The moat enclosing the platform measures between 6m and 8m in width and
is open to a depth of 1.5m. The moat, now dry, is steep sided with a flat
base. The north arm of the moat is crossed by a modern earthen causeway,
about 3m wide, which may perpetuate the position of an earlier access point.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Around 6,000 moated sites are known in England. They consist of wide ditches,
often or seasonally water-filled, partly or completely enclosing one or more
islands of dry ground on which stood domestic or religious buildings. In some
cases the islands were used for horticulture. The majority of moated sites
served as prestigious aristocratic and seigneurial residences with the
provision of a moat intended as a status symbol rather than a practical
military defence. The peak period during which moated sites were built was
between about 1250 and 1350 and by far the greatest concentration lies in
central and eastern parts of England. However, moated sites were built
throughout the medieval period, are widely scattered throughout England and
exhibit a high level of diversity in their forms and sizes. They form a
significant class of medieval monument and are important for the understanding
of the distribution of wealth and status in the countryside. Many examples
provide conditions favourable to the survival of organic remains.

The moated site 430m south west of Bradenham Hall survives well as a
series of earthwork and buried deposits. The buried remains will include
archaeological information concerning the construction of the moat, the
layout and construction of buildings which stood on the island and
activities relating to its occupation. Evidence for earlier land use is
also likely to be preserved in soils buried beneath the raised platform.
A local tradition that there was a Norman tower on the site gives added
interest.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Blomefield, F, History of the County of Norfolk: Volume VI, (1984)
Brown, P (ed), Doomsday Book: Norfolk, (1984)
Other
NMR, 358529, (2001)
Norfolk SMR, NF8717, (2001)
Norfolk SMR, NF8719, (2001)
Title: West Bradenham Tithe Map and Apportionment, DN/TA 65
Source Date: 1838
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Source: Historic England