Monument record WRW 043 - Wordwell Warren; Kings Forest

Wordwell Rabbit Warren. Area defined on HER map after mapping of 1840 (S1) where labelled 'Warren Old Ground'. Includes E side bank identified in Rapid Identification surveys for Forestry Commission in 1997 and April-May 2009 when further pre-destumping survey by John Craven located the NE-SW warren boundary bank which was recorded as circa 6-7m wide 'along edge of trackway. Broadens and flattens to south where it is less visible'. FC advised against destumping this earthwork (S3). Survival of bank not checked further to S or on S & W sides.
For associated Warrener's lodge see WRW 042 and for banks see BNH 052 (N side, also parish boundary). A bank marking the W side and parish boundary is also suggested on the 1800 map.
For documentary history consult Anne Mason.
Needs full survey - present condition largely unknown.

2010: Breckland Society's survey of The Warrens of Breckland could not find any archaeological evidence of warren banks. The warren was in existance in 1800 shown on the map of the parish with the warren occupying 189 acres in the north-east corner of the parish. The 1840 Tithe Map shows all parish land as either arable or woodland and in the north-west corner ae the names "Warren Breck" and "Warren Covert" (S2).

2017: Four visits with extensive field-walking of the warren area found only the possible eastern perimeter bank and the north-east to south-west perimeter bank (6m wider) along the edge of a forestry ride (S4).

July 2019. Breckland National Mapping Programme.
Sections of earthwork bank of a probable medieval – post medieval date are seen on visualised lidar data (S6). The sections of bank may have related to the eastern boundary of Wordwell rabbit warren recorded from cartographic sources in close proximity. The bank is also seen on the Frist Edition Ordnance Survey map (S7) and may have related to a post medieval boundary. Further possible banks have been recorded which may relate to the Warren’s northern (BNH 052) and western boundaries (WRW 077) as well as possible internal features (WRW 079). These features have been recorded under separate SHER numbers as these banks may not have been solely attributed to the warren and may have had further functions such as parish boundaries.
J.Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 18th July 2019.