Marham Castle

Heritage listing

Details The monument includes a rectangular moated site which has been identified as the site of the fortified manor known as Marham Castle. It is located on chalk, to the south west of Marham village and close to the southern edge of the peat fen which at one time covered the floor of the Nar Valley. The moated site has maximum overall dimensions of 80m north west - south east by 77m north east - south west. The moat ditch, which is dry, measures approximately 1m in depth and between 11m and 17m in width. A channel, also dry and measuring up to 4m in width and 1m in depth, leads into it at the western end of the south western arm, and the eastern end of the channel, where it joins the moat, is included in the scheduling. The moat surrounds a central platform raised approximately 1m above the prevailing ground level. On this platform are the remains of a substantial building. The line of a circuit wall is indicated by low banks, consisting largely of chalk rubble and containing fragments of clay roof tile and other building materials, which enclose a rectangular area with internal dimensions of approximately 30m by 20m. Mounds up to 1.5m in height, projecting externally at the four corners of this enclosure, mark the location of what were probably turrets. The manor at Marham, known subsequently as Belet's or Denham's, was held in the second half of the 13th century by William Belet, who received licence to crenellate (fortify) his house there in 1271, although in 1277 there were complaints that the castle was a threat to the king's authority in the area. The manor then passed to Sir Ingelram Belet, a younger son who, according to an inquisition of 1313, held a castle at Marham, ditched around. In c.1365 the manor was held by John de Denham from the abbess of Marham Nun

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.