This list is of settlements which are known to have been lost and where the location can either be confirmed or is strongly suspected by the use of archaeological or documentary evidence. Settlements where there is less conclusive evidence as to their existence are recorded below this list. Grid references are given where known.
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| | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. Abandoned in the 16th century, probably due to land being enclosed. | [4] |
Algarsthorpe | approx. | Deserted medieval village. The parish was united with Great Melton in 1476. | [5] |
Alvington | | Possible site for Alvington deserted medieval village in Cawston parish. | [6] [7] |
Anmer | | Site of medieval village on the grounds of Anmer Hall. The village appeared in the Domesday Book and a detailed description of it in around 1600 exists. | [8] [9] |
Appleton | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book in the modern parish of Flitcham with Appleton. The round tower of St Mary's church is still standing. See also Little Appleton. | [10] |
Apton | | Site of village mentioned in the Domesday Book and the Nomina Villarum of 1316. | [11] |
Arminghall | | Deserted medieval village in the parish of Bixley. | [12] [13] |
| | Village mentioned in Domesday and Nomina Villarum, with 91 tax payers recorded in 1381. Believed to have been abandoned in the 18th century. | [14] |
Ashby, Snetterton | Unknown | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book but not recorded in the Nomina Villarum of 1316. The precise site is disputed. | [15] |
Ashwicken | | Shrunken medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. The parish was united with Leziate by the mid-15th century. | [16] [17] | |
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| | Deserted medieval village. Possibly the site at which St Felix of Burgundy landed in England in about 630. | [18] |
Baconsthorpe, near Attleborough | Unknown | Deserted village mentioned in the Domesday Book and known to be north of Attleborough. | [19] |
Barmer | | Deserted medieval village site identified from air photography in 1991. | [20] |
Barningham Town | | Site of Roman settlement. | [21] |
Barret Ringstead | See Ringstead Parva |
Barton Bendish | | Site of a deserted medieval village with substantial earthworks remaining. | [22] |
Bawsey | | Settlement site dating from the Roman to medieval periods with evidence of Bronze Age and Iron Age occupation. The site featured in an episode of the television programme Time Team. A medieval village at Bawsey is believed to have been abandoned by 1517. | [23] [24] |
Bayfield | | Deserted medieval village site. The church is ruined and was disused from the 17th century. | [25] |
Beachamwell | | Deserted medieval village of Wella. | [26] |
Beeston St Andrew | | Possible site of deserted medieval village. | [27] |
Beeston St Lawrence | | Possible site of deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. Possibly removed due to emparkment in the 1780s. | [28] |
Belhawe | Unknown | Deserted settlement within the old parish of Arminghall. The church was dedicated to St Andrew and is now within Bixley parish. | [29] |
Bickerston | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. There were 13 taxpayers in 1329 but just six by 1332. Probably finally abandoned in the 17th century. | [30] |
Bixley | | Deserted medieval village with only the parish church, the only one in England dedicated to St Wandregesilius, remaining. Possible abandoned due to migration to the nearby city of Norwich. | [31] [32] |
Boyland | | Site of deserted medieval village and Boyland Hall. | [33] |
| | Deserted medieval village. The church was abandoned in the 16th century. | [34] |
Brampton | | Site of a Roman town. | [35] |
Brancaster | | The Romano-British vicus associated with the fort of Branodunum. | [36] |
Braydeston or Breydeston | | Site of deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum, with ten households listed in 1428. | [37] |
Brettenham | | Site of a Roman town. | [38] |
Broomsthorpe | | Deserted medieval village identified through a series of earthworks. May be the same place as Sengham or possibly the location of Tattersett St Andrew. Close to the site of Coxford Priory. | [39] [40] [41] |
Browston | | Approximate location of deserted medieval village On the site of Browston Hall. | [42] |
| | Possible site of deserted medieval settlement. | [43] |
Buckenham Tofts | | Also known as Buckingham Parva. Mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. All traces of the medieval settlement were destroyed by the 19th century. The modern village and hall were evacuated by the remaining 73 residents in 1942 and became part of the Stanford Training Area. The area is still controlled for military training by the British Army. | [44] [45] [46] [47] |
Burgh Castle | | Site of the Roman vicus associated with the fort of Gariannonum. Was in Suffolk until boundary changes in 1974. The site may have later been the location of the Saxon monastery of Cnobheresburg, founded in around 630 by Saint Fursey. | [48] [49] |
Burgh next Aylsham | | Earthworks showing the prior extent of the shrunken village of Burgh next Aylsham. | [50] |
Burgh Parva | | Deserted medieval village. | [51] |
Bylaugh | | Possible site of deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. The village was shrunken significantly by the 15th century and was probably abandoned soon afterwards. | [52] | |
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Caistor St Edmund | | The site of the major regional Roman town of Venta Icenorum, the capital of the Iceni tribe. | [53] |
Caldecote | | Deserted medieval village abandoned by the late 16th century. Mentioned in the Domesday Book. | [54] [55] |
Calvelly | Unknown | Deserted village known to have existed within Garvestone parish. | [56] |
Cantley, Ketteringham | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. Parish united with Hethersett in 1397. Also recorded as Cantelose. | [57] [58] |
Carleton Forehoe | | The remains of the shrunken medieval village of Carleton Forehoe. | [59] |
Choseley | | Deserted medieval village with earthworks remaining. | [60] |
Clare | N/A | North of Cromer. Lost to coastal erosion and flooding in the 15th century. | [61] [62] [63] |
Clare, Crostwick | Unknown | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book and which may have been located in the modern parish of Crostwick. | [64] |
Cley St Peter | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. The parish church burnt down in the 16th century and was never rebuilt. | [65] |
Clipstone | Unknown | Mentioned in the Domesday Book and as Clifton in 1316. By 1334 the village had become part of Kettlestone. The site of the medieval village is unknown. | [66] [67] |
Colveston | | Deserted medieval village. Depopulated by the early 18th century | [68] |
Cotes | | Deserted medieval village referred to in 14th century documents and which survived into the 17th century. Petygards formed part of the larger village of Cotes. | [69] |
| | Deserted medieval village | [70] |
Custhorpe | approx. | Possible site of village mentioned in the Domesday Book. The village is known to be located within West Acre parish but the location is approximate. | [71] | |
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Gasthorpe | | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book and abandoned in the 17th century | [87] [88] |
Gatton | | Mentioned in documents from the 13th to 16th century. Not in Domesday Book. Roman and late Saxon archaeological finds have been found. | [89] [90] |
Gayton | | Site of medieval manor and village. | [91] |
Glorestorp | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. In the 14th century the village is recorded as having a manor house and two watermills. | [92] |
| | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. The site is well preserved as it has never been deep ploughed. Abandoned in the 16th century, possibly due to very heavy clay soils hindering agricultural development. | [93] [94] [95] [96] [97] |
Golosa | See Ingloss |
Great Barwick | | Probable site of deserted medieval village mentioned in Domesday and Nomina Villarum. | [98] |
Great Palgrave | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. Survived until the 15th century. | [99] |
Great Snarehill | | Deserted medieval village dating from the late Saxon period. See also Little Snarehill. | [100] |
Grenesvil | | Possible site of hamlet mentioned in the Domesday Book. Within the modern parish of Shotesham. | [101] |
Grenstein | | Also known as Gramston or Greynston. Deserted medieval village abandoned in the 16th century. | [102] [103] |
Grimston | | Site of deserted medieval village. | [104] |
Gunton, Hanworth | | Deserted medieval village replaced by Gunton Hall. | [105] |
Guton | Unknown | Deserted medieval village which was a relatively large settlement at the Domesday Book. Granted a Market by the Crown in 1287. Site marked by Guton Hall in the modern parish of Brandiston. | [106] | |
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Hales | | A variety of medieval settlement sites exist within Hales, including at Hales Green. Iron Age and Roman settlement sites have also been located. | [107] [108] [109] |
Harling Thorpe | | Deserted medieval village. | [110] |
Hargham | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. | [111] |
Heckingham | | A variety of settlement sites, including from the Roman and medieval periods. | [112] [113] |
Herringby | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. Parish was united with Stokesby in around 1580 and the church demolished in 1610. | [114] |
Hethel | | Possible site of the village of Hethel, the church of which was mentioned in the Domesday Book. | [115] [116] |
Hockwold | | Area of abandoned medieval settlement on the edge of the shrunken village of Hockwold. | [117] |
Holkham | | Removed in the 18th century as part of the development of Holkham Hall. | [118] |
Holme | | Site of deserted medieval village. | [119] |
Holt, near Leziate | | Land enclosed by landlord Thomas Thursby for use as sheep pasture. Totally depopulated by 1517 - the only Norfolk village to be found to have been depopulated by enclosure at the time of Wolsey's Commission of Inquiry of that year. | [120] |
Holverston | | The parish is recorded in the Domesday Book. The church was demolished in the medieval period. | [121] |
| | Recorded in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. Village was removed to make way for the building of Houghton Hall in the 1730s, although it may have already been partly abandoned. | [122] [123] |
| | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. In the 18th century it contained more than 32 houses but had been reduced to a handful of buildings by 1805. The church was last used in 1944 before being rediscovered in the 1990s and restored. It contains a series of late Saxon wall paintings. | [124] [125] [126] | |
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| | Deserted medieval village site abandoned by the mid 18th century. The modern village was abandoned by the remaining 37 residents in 1942 when the Stanford Training Area was established. | [138] |
Langhale | | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book. Probably a dispersed settlement with the parish church in ruins by the early 16th century. | [139] [140] [141] |
Letha | Unknown | Village site mentioned in Domesday. Somewhere in the Hundred of Blofield. | [142] |
Letton | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. Abandoned by the 16th century. | [143] |
| | Shrunken medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book and which was joined with the parish of Ashwicken in the late 15th century. | [144] |
Little Appleton | | Deserted medieval village abandoned before the 17th century when a farmstead is recorded. | [145] |
Little Barwick | See Middleton |
Little Bittering | | Deserted medieval village recorded in the Domesday Book and visible as earthworks. St Peter and St Paul's Church dates from the 12th century. The parish was united with Beeston in the 20th century. | [146] [147] [148] |
Little Breckles, Shropham | | Site of a deserted medieval settlement, probably abandoned by the early 14th century. | [149] [150] |
Little Breckles, Stow Bedon | | Mentioned as a separate town in Domesday. The church was demolished in the 14th century and the settlement abandoned by 1547. The site may be that of Great Breckles. | [151] [152] |
Little Hockham | | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book which declined in the 16th century. | [153] [154] |
Little Palgrave | | Site of deserted medieval village at Palgrave Hall. | [155] |
Little Snarehill | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. See also Great Snarehill. | [156] |
Little Wacton | | Possible site of deserted medieval village | [157] [158] |
Little Waxham | See Waxham Parva |
Little Witchingham | | Parish mentioned in the Domesday Book. The church became redundant by the 1930s but has now been restored. | [159] |
Little Wreningham | | Thought to be the site of a deserted medieval village. | [160] |
Little Wrethham | Unknown | Village was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The exact site is unknown. Probably abandoned by the late 14th century. | [161] [162] |
Lynford | | Recorded as having between nine and 16 taxpayers between 1316 and 1428, was uninhabited by 1467. Now the site of Lynford Hall. | [163] | |
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Maidenhouse | | Deserted medieval village and port on the outskirts of the modern village of Clenchwarton | [164] |
Maideston | | Possible site of deserted medieval village. | [165] |
Mannington | | Deserted medieval village in decline by the time Mannington Hall was built on the site in 1460. Village had disappeared by 1565 | [166] [167] |
Markshall | | Deserted medieval village. The church was mentioned in the Domesday Book. | [168] |
Matlask | | Shrunken village. | [169] |
| | Site occupied from the late Saxon to medieval period with documentary evidence of occupation until the 17th century. | [170] [171] |
Middleton | | Probable site of deserted medieval village abandoned by the early 15th century. Also known as Little Barwick. | [172] [173] |
Mintlyn | | Mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum and deserted in the post-medieval period | [174] |
Mora | Unknown | Deserted village site mentioned in the Domesday Book in the parish of Freethorpe. | [175] |
Morley St Peter | | Probable site of deserted settlement near St Peter's Church, Morley. | [176] [177] | |
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Narford | | Possible site of a deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. On the site of a Roman settlement with significant number of Roman archaeological finds. Over 100 houses were present in the mid 15th century but only two remained by 1802. The precise location is undisclosed. | [178] |
Narvestuna | Unknown | Village mentioned in Domesday in Clavering hundred. | [179] |
Nelonde | Unknown | Deserted medieval settlement thought to be located in the parish of Wreningham. The church was dedicated to St Peter and the parish was united with Great Wreningham by 1414. | [180] |
Ness | Unknown | East of Winterton-on-Sea or in Mautby parish. Village mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was either lost to coastal erosion, possibly in the 17th or 18th century, or occupied a site in the parish of Mautby. | [181] |
Newton | East of Gorleston | Village lost to coastal erosion some time after 1567. The site would have been part of Suffolk until the county boundary was changed in 1974. | [182] |
North Barsham | | Probably site of deserted medieval village. | [183] |
North Lynn | | Deserted settlement to the north of Kings Lynn originally on the edge of The Wash. The church was washed away in 1271. Land reclamation means that the site is now on the banks of the River Great Ouse and is now a chemical works. | [184] |
Norton | See Stoke-cum-Norton | |
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Santon | | Deserted medieval village site. | [204] |
Saxlingham Thorpe | | The parish church was ruined by 1687 as villagers moved to more effective agricultural sites. | [205] |
Semer | Unknown | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book and in land grants dating form the 14th century. The site is unknown but is likely to be in either the parish of Dickleburgh and Rushall or Pulham St Mary. | [206] |
Shipden | North-east of Cromer | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book (Cromer was not) with a population of over 100. Lost to coastal erosion by about 1400, with the first losses to the churchyard recorded in 1336. The site of the church tower was the probable cause of the sinking of the steam tug Victoria in 1888. | [207] [208] [209] |
Shotford | | Site of small medieval settlement. | [210] |
Shotesham St Mary | | Deserted medieval village. Shotesham was detailed as four parishes in the Domesday Book. | [211] [212] |
Shouldham | | Site of deserted medieval village on the eastern edge of the modern village. | [213] |
Snore | | Possible site of village of Snore, mentioned in the Domesday Book | [214] |
Southgate or Sythgate | | Possible site of deserted medieval village | [215] |
Southmere or Summerfield | | Deserted medieval village. | [216] [217] |
Southwood | | Possible site of deserted medieval village | [218] |
Sparham | | Earthworks identified as a deserted medieval village. Also known as Pinkneys. | [219] |
| | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book with earthworks remaining. The modern settlement was abandoned in 1942 when the Stanford Training Area was established with the removal of the remaining 110 inhabitants. The area remains a British Army training area with no permanent population. | [220] |
Stanninghall | | Deserted medieval village, the only remains of which are the ruined church tower. | [221] |
Stinton | | Deserted settlement mentioned in the Domesday Book in the parish of Salle. | [222] |
Stoke-cum-Norton | Unknown | Settlement is referred to in documents but the location is unknown. | [223] |
| | Medieval village listed in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. Lost to enclosure of common land in 1597. Now part of the Stanford Military Training Area established in 1942 when 27 people were evacuated. | [224] [225] |
Sutton | | Mentioned in the Domesday Book and deserted by the post medieval period | [226] |
Swathing | | Deserted medieval settlement mentioned in the Domesday Book. | [227] [228] | |
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Tattersett St Andrew | See Broomsthorpe |
Testerton | | Deserted village which declined from the 17th century. Parish was abolished in 1935 and combined with Pudding Norton. | [229] |
Thorpe Parva | | Mentioned in the Domesday Book, the parish was united with Scole in 1482 and the church demolished in around 1540, with the tower remaining as a dovecote. One family lived in the village by 1739. | [230] |
Thorpland, Runcton Holme | | Deserted medieval village. Archaeological remains discovered during gravel extraction in 1964. | [231] |
Thorpland, Fakenham | | Site of a deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. | [232] |
| | Mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum, with 28 taxpayers in 1329 and 23 in 1377. Depopulated by 1635. | [233] |
Thurton | | Possible site of village mentioned in the Domesday Book and which was later known as Middleton-in-Witchingham. | [234] |
Thuxton | | Deserted village probably occupied between the 13th and 15th centuries. Heavy clay soils may have led to abandonment. Possibly also known as Thurmanston. | [235] |
Tofts | Unknown | Deserted medieval settlement mentioned in the Domesday Book. Combined with Great Ellingham for taxation purposes in the late 14th century. | [236] |
Toimere | | Deserted settlement mentioned in the Domesday Book. | [237] |
| | Site of a deserted medieval village. The modern village, which had 200 residents, was abandoned in 1942 when the Stanford Training Area was established. | [238] |
Twanton | | Possible site of deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. Also known as Tharanton. | [239] |
Venta Icenorum | See Caistor St Edmund | |
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Wallington | | Medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. Possibly removed to construct Wallington Hall in the 16th century. | [240] [241] |
Walsingham, East Carleton | Unknown | Settlement mentioned in the Domesday Book and other documents as early as 1046. | [242] |
Washingford | | Site of deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book. | [243] |
| | Deserted medieval village. Mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. Land lost to agricultural enclosure from the 17th century was a reason for abandonment. | [244] |
Waxham Parva | Near Waxham | Lost to coastal erosion. Church records end suddenly in 1383 so the loss of the village can probably be dated to around this time. | [245] |
Wendling | | Site of deserted medieval village. | [246] |
| | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday book. Occupied until the 17th century. | [247] |
West Lexham | | Marked on a map of 1575 but mostly abandoned by 1771. | [248] |
West Tofts | | Deserted medieval village cleared to make way for the development of Lynford Hall park in the 17th century. The modern village and hall were evacuated in 1942 and became part of the Stanford Training Area. The population of 135 was rehoused. The hall was demolished after 1945 and the area is still controlled for military training by the British Army, although the parish church still stands and is used at Christmas for a carol service. | [249] |
Wighton | | A range of Iron Age and Roman settlement sites, including a substantial Roman town and two Iron Age hill forts are present in Wighton. | [250] |
Wilby | | A number of earthworks have been identified as former areas of habitation of the now shrunken village of Wilby. | [251] |
West Wretham | | Deserted medieval village mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. Abandoned by 1793. | [252] |
Wimpwell or Whimpwell | North-east of Happisburgh | Village mentioned in the Domesday Book. Possibly lost to coastal erosion in the 15th century. | [253] |
Windall or Windle | | Approximate site of deserted medieval village. Also known as Wyndale. | [254] |
Winston | | The parish was joined with Gillingham in 1440 with the parish church having fallen into disuse by the 14th century. | [255] [256] |
Wolterton | | Deserted village on the site of Wolterton Hall. Mentioned in the Domesday Book and the Nomina Villarum, it had 37 tax payers in 1377. | [257] [258] |
Wyndale | See Windall |
Wyveling | | Deserted medieval settlement with Saxon and medieval pottery finds. Manor noted with Bawsey in the Nomina Villarum. | [259] | |
In addition to confirmed or strongly suspected sites of lost villages, there are other locations which are believed to be the site of lost settlements. These are generally deserted medieval villages where there is some archaeological or other evidence to suggest that settlements existed but where identification is uncertain.
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East Walton | | Possible site of a deserted medieval settlement. | [260] |
Flockthorpe | | Possible site of deserted medieval settlement. | [261] |
Gnattington | | Marked on a map of 1631 as Gnattington Green and possibly the site of a deserted medieval village. | [262] |
Hackford | | Possible site of Hackford deserted medieval village. Hackford remained a separate parish until 1935. The site of the village is unclear. All Saints church was lost to fire in 1543 and little remains. | [263] [264] [265] |
Helmingham or Morton | | A possible site for Helmingham deserted medieval village, mentioned in the Domesday Book and Nomina Villarum. It is also suggested that Helmingham is elsewhere in the parish of Morton on the Hill and this site is possibly the village of Morton. | [266] |
Salle | | Earthworks in Salle Park which are indicative of a possible medieval village site. | [267] |
Whitwell | | Possible approximate site for a deserted medieval village. | [268] |
Wicken | | Possible site of deserted medieval village. | [269] | |