| Summary : The ruins and buried remains of a medieval church, converted in the last quarter of the 14th century into a fortified manor house with surrounding earthworks. The church is thought to have been built by Bishop Herbert de Losinga (1091-1119) on the site of the Anglo-Saxon Cathedral of Elmham. It was converted by Bishop Despencer in the late 14th century. In addition there are also the underlying remains of part of a Late Saxon/Norman cemetery. The ruins of the medieval church and manor house stand on a rectangular, ditched platform in the south west corner of a larger rectangular enclosure surrounded by a dry moat, to the east of which are remains of an adjoining outer enclosure. The church had a western tower with a semicircular stair turret, an aisleless nave, continuous transept with armpit towers and an apse. There is evidence for an ashlar dressed tower and west transept arches, north and south nave doorways and entrances into armpit towers. The 14th century work includes a semicircular tower base matching the original stair turret and several masonry partitions with brick dressings. The site is surrounded by 14the century earthworks. |
More information : (TF 98812160) Saxon Cathedral & Bishop's Manor House (NR) (Remains of)
(TF 98832165) Tower Hills (NR) (1)
See attached pamphlet. (2)
The Saxon Cathedral lies within a later moated enclosure, and owes its survival to its subsequent use as a medieval manor house. Since nothing of the present structure appears to pre-date the early 10th century it must be presumed that the earliest church lay elsewhere on the site. (3)
Two interpretations of the site. (4)
Construction date derived from North Elmham well AD 794 +/- 1. (5)
Additional references. (6-7)
The Church is thought to have been built by Bishop Herbert de Losinga (1091-1119) on the site of the Anglo-Saxon Cathedral of Elmham. It was converted by Bishop Despencer in the late 14th century. Built from a local, dark brown conglomerate with a flint core and ashlar dressings, there are brick dressings to the 14th century work. The church is roofless and has a western tower with a semicircular stair turret, an aisleless nave, continuous transept with armpit towers and an apse. There is evidence for an ashlar dressed tower and west transept arches, north and south nave doorways and entrances into armpit towers. The 14th century work includes a semicircular tower base matching the original stair turret and several masonry partitions with brick dressings. The site is surrounded by 14the century earthworks. (8)
The ruins and buried remains of a medieval church, converted in the last quarter of the 14th century into a fortified manor house with surrounding earthworks. In addition there are also the underlying remains of what is believed to have been the Saxon cathedral church of Elmham and part of a Late Saxon/Norman cemetery. The ruins of the medieval church and manor house stand on a rectangular, ditched platform in the south west corner of a larger rectangular enclosure surrounded by a dry moat, to the east of which are remains of an adjoining outer enclosure. (9)
Additional information (10-11)
Listed by Cathcart King. (12)
The licence to crenellate formerly thought to have been for South Elmham Hall in 1387 is in fact the licence for North Elmham Bishop's Palace. (13)
Listed as North Elman [North Elmham Bishop's Castle]. (14)
1387, Dec. 29. Westminster. Licence for the King's kinsman, Henry, Bishop of Norwich, to crenellate his manors of North Elmam and Gaywode, co. Norwich. (15)
Additional information. (16) |