Monument record WNG 025 - Boundaries relating to Wangford Warren

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Summary

Boundary banks, of presumed post medieval (possibly medieval) date and associated with Wangford Warren (SHER WNG 068), have been identified as earthworks through ground survey. They are also visible as earthworks on imagery from a 2015 lidar survey. In places multiple, parallel banks are evident.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 79 82 (3985m by 3984m) Centred on
Map sheet TL78SE
Civil Parish BRANDON, FOREST HEATH, SUFFOLK
Civil Parish ELVEDEN, FOREST HEATH, SUFFOLK
Civil Parish LAKENHEATH, FOREST HEATH, SUFFOLK
Civil Parish WANGFORD, FOREST HEATH, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (7)

Full Description

Partially surviving (S1) double, triple and quadruple linear earthwork banks defining Wangford Rabbit Warren between cited grid references. Following parish boundaries (mostly to SE of Brandon Road, A1065)(S1)(S2). S length continues to W (see ELV 024) where probably largely destroyed by USAF base. W extension on N length not determined but possibly follows parish boundary. Forms joint boundary with Brandon Warren, Elveden Warren (see ELV 024) and Lakenheath Warren. Date unknown though bank construction between the E side of Wangford Grange (WNG 023) and Brandon Warren, together with creation of a hedge on top, is recorded in documents of 1385-6 (pers comm Anne Mason using notes transcribed by Gigi Compton, Feb 2004). Parish boundary alignment suggests Med but Wangford (now Shakers) Lodge (at TL 779 819) is brick built and probably C18/C19.
Jan 2009: small area of NE edge of Lakenheath Warren surveyed for warrens survey (see below) - At least 4 banks identified along and to SW of parish boundary (ie, in Lakenheath) and one or possibly two more to NE on Wangford side. At point 'A' (TL 7864 8259) no trace of banks. At point 'B' (TL 7858 8263) single bank. At point 'I' ( TL 7831 8281) single bank. See parish file (S5).
Aug 2009: at TL 7702 8374 a second [in Brandon], very slight (only circa 10 cm high, parallel bank observed (C Pendleton (SCCAS) and R Riley (FC)) on Brandon side of parish boundary in low grass cover after clear felling. Probably originally extended along whole of boundary along Brandon Warren side.
Detailed earthwork and documentary surveys needed.

2010: The Breckland Society's survey of The Warrens of Breckland identified that the boundary banks are traceable around nearly all the perimeter, with the exception of the western end, which lies under RAF Lakenheath. There is a possible clapper area in the south-west corner (S4).

2017: There are partially surviving double, triple and quadruple linear earthwork banks running north-south between TL 77908300 and TL 77678226. There was no obvious funnelling-in, but a re-visit in winter when the vegetation is at its lowest might show features more clearly (S6). See also WNG 036 for linear earthwork bank.

January 2019. 'Brecks from Above' and Breckland National Mapping Programme.
The eastern end of Wangford Warren (SHER WNG 068) falls within the project area, and here it was possible to map sections of the boundary banks described above, which are visible as earthworks on lidar imagery (S7). The banks are presumed to be at least post medieval in date; a medieval origin is possible, but it is not clear when Wangford Warren was established (S4). As this end of the warren shares its boundary with Lakenheath, Elveden and Brandon warrens, it is also the case that in the absence of detailed documentary or map evidence, the assignment of particular banks mapped by the project to a specific warren is to a large extent notional, and they might equally be recorded as part of an adjacent warren. As the lidar survey was flown relatively recently, it is probable that the earthworks still survive.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 16th January 2019.

Sources/Archives (7)

  • <S1> (No record type): OS, 1:10,000 map, TL 78 SE, 1980.
  • <S2> (No record type): OS, 1st edition one inch map, circa 1840.
  • <S3> (No record type): SAU, Pendleton C, January 1994.
  • <S4> Bibliographic reference: The Breckland Society. 2010. The Warrens of Breckland: A Survey by The Breckland Society. P 36.
  • <S5> Unpublished document: Suffolk County Council Archaeologcial Service. Site Report. Pendleton C (SCCAS), Wangford warren transect sites report and map, Jan 2009.
  • <S6> Unpublished document: The Breckland Society. 2017. The Internal Archaeology of the Breckland Warrens. p. 22.
  • <S7> LIDAR Airborne Survey: LIDAR airborne survey. LIDAR Wangford Forest Research 0.5m DTM 17-JUL-2015 (BNG Project, FC England, Fugro Geospatial).

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (4)

Record last edited

Oct 17 2019 2:33PM

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