Scoulton Motte (The Gatehouse Record)

Scoulton Motte

In the civil parish of Scoulton.
In the historic county of Norfolk.
Modern Authority of Norfolk.
1974 county of Norfolk.

OS Map Grid Reference: TF96840262
Latitude 52.58567° Longitude 0.90416°

Scoulton Motte has been described as a Timber Castle although is doubtful that it was such, and also as a Fortified Manor House although is doubtful that it was such.

There are no visible remains.

Description

In 1319 Oct 16, Constantinus de Mortuo Mari (Constantin Mortimer) was granted a licence to crenellate Sculton, county Norfolk. The location of this house is not securely identified but was in this parish. Two possible sites are identified this supposed motte and a lost moat site

PastScape record of supposed site of motte and bailey. Gatehouse considers the Scoulton Moat as the slightly more tenable location for the licenced Mortimer House. It is, of course, possible the licenced house was a new build on a new site and both of these sites represent the location of succeeding manor houses. Equally the evidence that either is a manor house site is slight. There were also two manors in Scoulton both of which were of sufficient status to expect to have a moated manor house.

An oval enclosure is recorded half a mile north of Abergavenny Farm. It is believed that this is the earthwork of the castle built by Constantine Mortimer that was licensed by Edward II. The site was ploughed in 1945 but the damage this may have caused has not been determined. It has been suggested that the castle site lies to the south (NHER 8809) but it still unclear where exactly the castle was situated. A study of enclosure and tithe maps has not provided any place name evidence to indicate where the medieval castle stood. (Norfolk HER)

There is an oval enclosure here but this doesn't appear to be much raised above ground level. The site is isolated from modern settlement, no evidence of medieval settlement but Scoulton does seem to be a parish of dispersed settlement, without any clear nucleus. Next to a brick kiln marked on 1891 map.

Links to mapping and other online resources

Data >

PastScape

County HER

Maps >

Data/Maps >

Magic

Air Photos >

Photos >

Sources of information, references and further reading

English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 358596.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 8808.

Books
- See Scoulton Moat bibliography
  Bryant, T.H., 1896, Churches of Norfolk Hundred of Wayland (Norwich Mercury) p. 40

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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This record last updated on Monday, June 17, 2013

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