South Elmham Hall

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Bishops Palace

In the civil parish of St Cross South Elmham. In the historic county of Suffolk (Modern Authority of Suffolk, 1974 county of Suffolk).

PastScape record reads "The moated site of a medieval bishop's palace at South Elmham Hall. The moat varies between about 10m and 16m in width from lip to lip and is water filled, surrounding a sub-rectangular island with maximum dimensions of 145m north west-south east by 100m. Parts of a timber bridge were found in waterlogged deposits in the eastern arm of the moat during cleaning operations in 1986-9, and some of the timbers remain in position. The ruined walls of a building of two storeys which is considered to be of 1C13 or C14 date stands adjacent to the inner edge of the western arm of the moat. This building, which is constructed of mortared flint with brick quoins has sometimes been described as a chapel but is more likely to have served as a gate lodge. South Elmham Hall is a manor house of C16 date. It is constructed of flint rubble with some freestone dressings, mainly rendered, under a tile roof. It stands in the southern half of the island and incorporates part of a C13 or later medieval hall built of flint masonry with freestone dressings. On the south east side of the moated site are a remains of fishponds visible as an array of large, well defined rectangular and 'L' shaped depressions. At the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, the manor of South Elmham was held by the Bishop of Thetford. Soon afterwards it was purchased by Herbert de Losinga, the first Bishop of Norwich Priory. References in the medieval account roles of the manor to a chapel and two cloisters within the moat are evidence that the site may have housed a small monastic cell in the early C12. In C13 and C14 it became an important residence of the Bishops of Norwich and in 1387 Bishop Henry Despenser was granted a license to crenellate his manor house here. In 1540, following the Dissolution of the monastries, the property was granted to Edward North (created Lord North in 1553)." The licence of 1387 was actually for North Elmham.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 282307; 282306)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TM30708321

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 391726
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p131
    Martin, Edward, 1999 [3edn], 'Medieval Castles' in Dymond, David and Martin, Edward (eds) An Historical Atlas of Suffolk (Lavenham) p58-9
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p181
    Pevsner, N., 1961, The Buildings of England: Suffolk (London, Penguin) p396
    Wall, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Suffolk Vol1 p616
• Journal Articles
  • Rigold, S.E., 1962-3, 'The Anglian Cathedral of North Elmham, Norfolk' Medieval Archaeology Vol6-7 p67-108 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Payne, Naomi, 2003, The medieval residences of the bishops of Bath and Wells, and Salisbury (PhD Thesis University of Bristol) Appendix B: List of Medieval Bishop's Palaces in England and Wales [available via http://ethos.bl.uk ]