List of lost settlements in Norfolk facts for kids

There are about 200 lost settlements in Norfolk, England. These are places that used to be villages or towns but are now gone. They disappeared for many reasons and at different times. Some were deserted medieval villages (DMVs) from the Middle Ages. Others were villages that moved or shrank a lot. Some were lost to the sea because of coastal erosion. A few were even emptied during World War II to create military training areas, like the Stanford Training Area. Experts believe there might be as many as 3,000 deserted medieval villages across all of England!

Discovering Norfolk's Lost Villages

This list includes settlements that we know were lost. Their locations are either confirmed or strongly suspected. This is thanks to clues from archaeology (studying old things) or old documents. Places with less clear evidence are listed further down. We've included Grid references when we know them, which are like special map codes.

Lost Villages: A to Z

Here's a look at some of the lost settlements in Norfolk, organized by their starting letter.

A

• Alethorpe (TF948 313): This was a deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was likely abandoned in the 1500s. This happened because land was being enclosed for farming.
• Algarsthorpe (TG13 08 approx.): Another deserted medieval village. Its church parish joined with Great Melton in 1476.
• Anmer (TF737 294): A medieval village site found on the grounds of Anmer Hall. It was in the Domesday Book. We even have a detailed description of it from around 1600!
• Appleton (TF705 274): This deserted medieval village was also in the Domesday Book. It's now part of the Flitcham with Appleton parish. The old round tower of St Mary's church is still standing.

B

• Babingley (TF670 263): A deserted medieval village. Some believe St Felix of Burgundy landed here around 630 AD.
• Barmer (TF813 336): The site of this deserted medieval village was found using air photos in 1991.
• Barton Bendish (TF718 062): This deserted medieval village still has clear earthworks (mounds and ditches) left behind.
• Bawsey (TF663 207): This area has been settled since Roman times. There's even evidence of Bronze Age and Iron Age people living here! The TV show Time Team explored this site. The medieval village was likely abandoned by 1517.
• Bixley (TG257 040): A deserted medieval village. Only its parish church remains. It's the only church in England dedicated to St Wandregesilius. People might have moved to nearby Norwich.
• Bowthorpe (TG177 091): A deserted medieval village. Its church was abandoned in the 1500s.
• Brancaster (TF78 43): This was a Roman-British town. It was connected to the Roman fort of Branodunum.
• Buckenham Tofts (TL838 947): Also called Buckingham Parva. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book. All signs of the medieval village were gone by the 1800s. The modern village was evacuated in 1942. Its 73 residents had to leave to make way for the Stanford Training Area. The British Army still uses this area for training.
• Burgh Castle (TG476 043): This was the site of a Roman town. It was linked to the fort of Gariannonum. It was in Suffolk until 1974. It might also have been the site of a Saxon monastery.

C

• Caistor St Edmund (TG231 035): This was a major Roman town called Venta Icenorum. It was the capital city for the Iceni tribe.
• Caldecote (TF745 034): A deserted medieval village. It was abandoned by the late 1500s. It was also in the Domesday Book.
• Clare (North of Cromer): This village was lost to coastal erosion and floods in the 1400s.
• Colveston (TL794 955): A deserted medieval village. It was mostly empty by the early 1700s.
• Cotes (TF85 07): A deserted medieval village mentioned in the 1300s. It lasted until the 1600s.

D

• Didlington (TL779 970): This village was in the Domesday Book. It declined in the 1600s. This happened as the Lord of the Manor bought up most of the farmland.
• Dunton (TF881 300): A deserted medieval village site, very close to Dunton church.

E

• Earlham (TG193 082): Mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was emptied in 1657 to build Earlham Hall.
• Eccles (TG414 288): Most of this village was destroyed by coastal flooding and erosion around 1570. A big flood in 1604 destroyed 66 more homes. The church tower lasted until 1895 before it was lost to the sea. You can sometimes see remains of the village on the beach after storms!
• Egmere (TF897 374): A deserted medieval village. It was quite large in the Domesday Book. By 1428, it had fewer than 10 people. It seems to have been abandoned by the mid-1500s. The tower of St Edmund's Church is still standing.

F

• Felbrigg (TG197 390): This village was moved from the grounds of Felbrigg Hall.
• Foston or Fodderston (TF652 094): A deserted medieval village. It had 15 taxpayers in 1329 but only three small houses by 1805. The church was torn down in the 1500s.
• Foulness (North of Mundesley): This village was lost to coastal erosion in the 1400s.

G

• Gasthorpe (TL983 813): A village mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was abandoned in the 1600s.
• Godwick (TF903 220): A deserted medieval village from the Domesday Book. The site is very well preserved. This is because it was never plowed deeply. It was abandoned in the 1500s. This might be due to the very heavy clay soil, which made farming hard.
• Grenstein (TF907 198): Also known as Gramston. This deserted medieval village was abandoned in the 1500s.
• Gunton, Hanworth (TG230 340): A deserted medieval village. It was replaced by Gunton Hall.

H

• Harling Thorpe (TL946 842): A deserted medieval village.
• Herringby (TG446 103): A deserted medieval village from the Domesday Book. Its church parish joined with Stokesby around 1580. The church was torn down in 1610.
• Holkham (TF882 430): This village was removed in the 1700s. This was done to develop Holkham Hall.
• Holt, near Leziate (TF675 184): This land was enclosed by a landlord for sheep. It was completely empty by 1517. It was the only Norfolk village found to be depopulated by enclosure at that time.
• Houghton (TF794 285): This village was in the Domesday Book. It was removed to build Houghton Hall in the 1730s. It might have already been partly abandoned.
• Houghton-on-the-Hill (TF868 053): A deserted medieval village. In the 1700s, it had over 32 houses. By 1805, only a few buildings were left. Its church was last used in 1944. It was rediscovered in the 1990s and restored. It has old Saxon wall paintings!

I

• Ingloss (TM345 967): The site of a deserted medieval village. It was called Golosa in the Domesday Book.
• Irmingland, Oulton (TG123 294): A deserted medieval village. It had 21 people in 1352. By 1428, it had 10 households. The church was ruined by 1602. By 1805, only two or three houses were left.

K

• Kempstone (TF886 160): A deserted medieval settlement. A small Roman town might have also been here.
• Kenningham (TM206 999): A deserted medieval village. Its church parish joined with Mulbarton in 1452. By then, only a few residents were left.
• Keswick (Near Bacton): This village was lost to coastal erosion.
• Kilverstone (TL894 841): This village was in the Domesday Book. It was mostly abandoned by the 1700s. Its remains were used to develop Kilverstone Hall.

L

• Langford (TL839 965): A deserted medieval village site. It was abandoned by the mid-1700s. The modern village was abandoned in 1942. Its 37 residents had to leave when the Stanford Training Area was created.
• Letton (TF974 057): A deserted medieval village from the Domesday Book. It was abandoned by the 1500s.
• Little Appleton (TF710 210): A deserted medieval village. It was abandoned before the 1600s.
• Little Witchingham (TG117 204): This church parish was in the Domesday Book. The church was not used by the 1930s but has now been restored.
• Lynford (TL820 941): It had between nine and 16 taxpayers from 1316 to 1428. It was empty by 1467. Now, Lynford Hall is on its site.

M

• Maidenhouse (TF597 199): A deserted medieval village and port. It was on the edge of the modern village of Clenchwarton.
• Mannington (TG144 320): A deserted medieval village. It was already declining when Mannington Hall was built in 1460. The village was gone by 1565.
• Markshall (TG228 047): A deserted medieval village. Its church was mentioned in the Domesday Book.
• Middleton (TF803 359): The likely site of a deserted medieval village. It was abandoned by the early 1400s. It was also known as Little Barwick.
• Mintlyn (TF657 192): Mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was deserted after the medieval period.

N

• Narford (TF76 13): A possible site of a deserted medieval village. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book. There are many Roman finds here. Over 100 houses were here in the mid-1400s. But only two were left by 1802.
• Ness (East of Winterton-on-Sea or in Mautby parish): A village from the Domesday Book. It was either lost to coastal erosion or was in the Mautby parish.
• Newton (East of Gorleston): This village was lost to coastal erosion sometime after 1567. It would have been part of Suffolk until 1974.
• North Lynn (TF613 211): A deserted settlement north of Kings Lynn. It was originally on the edge of The Wash. Its church was washed away in 1271. Now, because of land reclamation, the site is a chemical works.

O

• Oby (TG415 144): A deserted medieval village from the Domesday Book.
• Old Fulmodeston (TF996 302): The site of a medieval village south of the current settlement. Pottery from the 11th to 13th centuries was found here.

P

• Panworth (TF896 048): Mentioned in the Domesday Book. It wasn't on a map from 1581.
• Pattesley (TF899 241): A deserted medieval village from the Domesday Book. Its church was in ruins by 1602.
• Pudding Norton (TF924 277): A deserted medieval village. It was cleared for grazing in the late 1500s or early 1600s. The ruins of St Margaret's Church remain.

Q

• Quarles (TF884 385): A village from the Domesday Book. It was joined with Egmere for taxes by the 1400s. The church was ruined by 1571. The village was abandoned by 1713.

R

• Rackheath (TG278 152): The site of a deserted settlement. It later moved south to where the current village is.
• Ringstead Parva (TF684 399): Also called Barrett Ringstead. A deserted medieval village.
• Roudham (TL956 872): This is called the "best and most extensive example" of a deserted medieval village in Norfolk. It's a scheduled ancient monument, meaning it's protected.
• Rougham (TF825 207): A deserted village that existed between the 1000s and 1400s.

S

• Santon (TL828 873): A deserted medieval village site.
• Saxlingham Thorpe (TM230 966): Its church was ruined by 1687. This happened as villagers moved to better farming areas.
• Shipden (North-east of Cromer): A village from the Domesday Book with over 100 people. It was lost to coastal erosion by about 1400. The churchyard started to be lost in 1336. The site of the church tower might have caused a ship to sink in 1888!
• Shouldham (TF680 089): The site of a deserted medieval village on the eastern edge of the modern village.
• Stanford (TL855 946): A village from the Domesday Book. It still has earthworks. The modern village was abandoned in 1942. Its 110 residents were removed when the Stanford Training Area was created. It's still a British Army training area with no permanent residents.
• Stanninghall (TG255 175): A deserted medieval village. Only its ruined church tower remains.
• Sturston (TL875 950): A medieval village from the Domesday Book. It was lost when common land was enclosed in 1597. It's now part of the Stanford Military Training Area. 27 people were evacuated from here in 1942.

T

• Testerton (TF934 267): A deserted village that declined from the 1600s. Its church parish was removed in 1935.
• Thorpe Parva (TM161 794): Mentioned in the Domesday Book. Its church parish joined with Scole in 1482. The church was torn down around 1540. Its tower became a dovecote. Only one family lived here by 1739.
• Threxton (TF885 001): Mentioned in the Domesday Book. It had 28 taxpayers in 1329 and 23 in 1377. It was empty by 1635.
• Thuxton (TG035 075): A deserted village. It was likely used between the 1200s and 1400s. Heavy clay soils might have caused it to be abandoned.
• Tottington (TL893 955): The site of a deserted medieval village. The modern village, with 200 residents, was abandoned in 1942. This was when the Stanford Training Area was created.

W

• Wallington (TF626 076): A medieval village from the Domesday Book. It might have been removed to build Wallington Hall in the 1500s.
• Waterden (TF887 364): A deserted medieval village. It was in the Domesday Book. Land being enclosed for farming from the 1600s led to its abandonment.
• Waxham Parva (Near Waxham): Lost to coastal erosion. Church records suddenly stop in 1383. So, the village was probably lost around that time.
• West Harling (TL975 852): A deserted medieval village from the Domesday Book. It was used until the 1600s.
• West Tofts (TL837 928): A deserted medieval village. It was cleared to develop Lynford Hall park in the 1600s. The modern village and hall were evacuated in 1942. They became part of the Stanford Training Area. 135 people had to move. The hall was torn down after 1945. The area is still used for military training. But the parish church still stands and is used for a Christmas carol service!
• Wighton (TF95 39): This area has many Iron Age and Roman settlement sites. This includes a large Roman town and two Iron Age hill forts.
• West Wretham (TL900 914): A deserted medieval village from the Domesday Book. It was abandoned by 1793.
• Wimpwell or Whimpwell (North-east of Happisburgh): A village from the Domesday Book. It might have been lost to coastal erosion in the 1400s.
• Wolterton (TG164 324): A deserted village on the site of Wolterton Hall. It was in the Domesday Book. It had 37 taxpayers in 1377.

Possible Lost Settlements

Besides the places we're pretty sure about, there are other spots that might be lost settlements. These are usually deserted medieval villages where we have some archaeological clues. But we're not totally certain yet.

• East Walton (TF74 15): Possible site of a deserted medieval settlement.
• Flockthorpe (TG043 039): Possible site of a deserted medieval settlement.
• Gnattington (TF721 375): Marked on a 1631 map. Possibly a deserted medieval village.
• Hackford (TG077 222): Possible site of Hackford deserted medieval village. The church was lost to fire in 1543.
• Helmingham or Morton (TG125 158): A possible site for Helmingham deserted medieval village. It's also thought this might be the village of Morton.
• Salle (TG118 250): Earthworks in Salle Park suggest a possible medieval village site.
• Whitwell (TG089 214): Possible approximate site for a deserted medieval village.
• Wicken (TF805176): Possible site of deserted medieval village.

See also

• List of lost settlements in the United Kingdom