Monument record NYW 006 - Court Knoll

Court Knoll, ring work or possible motte & bailey castle.
Situated on flood-plain of R Stour, Consists of a 'D' shaped earthwork with a mound in the NE corner. Defences comprise a low, faint rampart separated from an outer ditch by a berm. The mound, which is very vague, but appears to be near circular, measures approximately 40m in diameter and has a maximum height of 1.0m. There are faint traces of a ditch around the W side. Main ditch is 50 feet wide, 5 feet deep, a gap in the NW corner is possibly an original entrance.
'A building of Roman tile and Kentish rag in the N part of the enclosure excavated by Major Dick in 1924' (R1). A scatter of tile and Kentish ragstone was visible in the ditch E of the mound in 1960 - ? the mound marks the site of the building (S1).
Two photographs of the 1924 excavations held by Mrs W I Sparrow (copies in Parish File), show coursed stonework with occasional tile (S7).
'The mansion house of the lordship of Neyland or Eiland as it is called in Domesday Book was at Neyland in a pasture ground called the Court: but no foundations of any part of it are to be seen except the chapel' (S2). Domesday book entry for Eilanda - part of the lands of Suane of Essex (S3). `The great lordship of `Eiland' however, which belonged to Suain of Essex, lay a cheval on the river and was surveyed in Domesday partly under Essex and partly under Suffolk. It derives its name from the present `Nayland', where the site of `Court Knoll' is still marked by earthworks on the Suffolk side of the stream' (S4).
1981: Ditch dry, mostly grass and nettles, small trees on E side, some garden refuse tipped on W bank. Interior ploughed. Fair scatter of Rom tile and ? roof slate noted, also possible medieval roof slate (S5).
1986: Site under rape at time of visit. Ditch overgrown with deciduous scrub to S, with nettles elsewhere; dry throughout. Mound still visible but perhaps further spread, say 1m high, 75m diameter. Dimensions very approximate because of height of crop, which made it impossible to tell if any trace of bank remained (S5). For discussion see (S8).
Substantial scatter of brick, tile and stone on the surface of the low mount at the east end of the site. Includes large probably square 'bricks' - one broken specimen measures 9.8 x (8.1+) x 2.3ins (now in SCC store).
2001: Documentary search, geophysical survey and fieldwalking of the interior of the monument. Profiles of the surrounding ditch were also drawn. Exavations in 1924 revealed building foundations believed to be Norman in date and built of flint and Roman tile. Geophysics showed a number of probable building foundations and archaeological features though no obvious plan. Finds from fieldwalking wree mostly of high medieval date although a significant quantity of re-used Roman building materials confirmed that this was used in the construction of buildings which once occupied the site. The majority of finds were focussed around an area in the north eastern corner of the monument which is also where the geophysics showed most activity. Documentary evidence suggests that the site was most likely constructed for Swein of Essex sometime around the Norman Conquest and may have gone into decline during the fourteenth century. By the eighteen century, the only building remains visible on the site were the ruins of the chapel (S9)(S10)(S11).Scheduled

Earthworks visible on Lidar. See associated files.

Volunteers from Nayland and local archaeological groups under the guidance of Suffolk Archaeology CIC excavated seven trenches into the Scheduled Monument at Court Knoll. This formed the next stage in a series of projects designed to better understand the monument. Court Knoll, a 5 ½ acre D-shaped Earthwork, lies to the south of the Nayland village settlement close to the bank of the River Stour. Geophysical survey of the monument in 2015 appeared to reveal a double apsidal structure as well as the remains of other buildings. A document of 1280 lists repairs to the manorial buildings on the site, including a “great chapel” and it is this that the geophysics may have revealed. Historical research has shown that the Lord of the Manor of Nayland at the Conquest, in 1066, was Robert Fitz Wimarc, kinsman of Edward the Confessor, and to both King Harold and William of Normandy. The trenches revealed the squared eastern end of a substantial bonded flint structure, a feature of which was the re-use of Roman floor tiles at the corners and in the flint coursing (Fig 10). This had been cut through at a later date by a circular structure with walls up to 1m thick. It was not possible to be certain whether this was a replaced apsidal end, some evidence suggested that the original structure may have suffered fire damage, or a freestanding round tower placed through the end of the building. Of particular note were 17 pieces of glazed polychrome tiles recovered from the rubble, which dated to the second quarter of 11th century and are usually only found in high status ecclesiastical buildings. An east-west aligned supine burial was found in a trench to the north side of the structure; this has been subsequently radiocarbon dated to 942-(79.3%)1023cal AD (SUERC 70733). Other trenches revealed the presence of a hearth and masonry walls, surfaces and deposits. A notable feature of the site was the vast quantity of Roman tile recovered, mainly roof tile but also some flue and floor tiles which appears to have been brought in from elsewhere and reused here. The work has been possible sponsored and supported by Nayland with Wissington Conservation Society, Nayland with Wissington Community Council, the Dedham Vale Project Sustainable Development Fund, the Trustees of the Tendring Estate and Suffolk Archaeology CIC, as well as a number of individuals who have made cash donations.
Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2016 (S12)

Included in the Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History annual round up of individual finds and discoveries for 2001 (S13)