Potterne manor of the bishop of Salisbury

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Poterne; Courthill; Great Orchard

In the civil parish of Potterne. In the historic county of Wiltshire (Modern Authority of Wiltshire, 1974 county of Wiltshire).

Probable site of the Bishops' of Salisbury Manor House at Potterne which is known from documents to have been occupied in 1297, was uncovered during an exploratory excavation which revealed the much robbed foundation of possibly the chapel or barn mentioned in medieval documents see illustration. The impression given is of the debris of a collapsed stone-tiled roof and trench for large cut-stone foundations. Possible flooring in the form of a 2ins thick layer of chalk overlay the uncovered area. Two probable post and holes could have been for supports of a lean-to extension. Finds were not stratified in the much disturbed ground but included encaustic floor-tile fragments, roof-tile (some possibly 13th/14th century), nails, door studs, ox shoe and animal bones. Domestic pottery was dated 13th/14th century and 16th/18th century. No indication of building on air photographs. (PastScape)
Geophysical survey, by N. Payne, in 2001 located the manor in a field known as Great Orchard next to Courthill House.
The bishops of Salisbury also had a deer park on their manor at Potterne. This lay to the south east of the village, around the modern Potterne Park Farm. The moat at SU 0102 5742, just north east of the farm, was probably formerly occupied by the park keeper's lodge. (Payne)
Licence to crenellate granted in 1337 and licence ratified in 1377.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST99325845

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 211676
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is ST95NE471 '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.

• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p627-9, 695
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p167, 168, 184
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p334, 411
• Journal Articles
  • 1976, Wiltshire Archaeology and Natural History Bulletin Vol20 p8-10
    McGlashen, N.D., and Sandall, R.E., 1974, 'The bishops of Salisbury's house at his manor of Potterne' Wiltshire Archaeology and Natural History Magazine Vol69 p85-96, 101-5
    Jones, W.H., 1876, 'Potterne' Wiltshire Archaeology and Natural History Magazine Vol16 p260
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1334-38) p498
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1377-81) p9, 10
• 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) p165-72 [available via http://ethos.bl.uk ]