Bawsey St James, Norfolk
14 March 1999

The ruins of the church at Bawsey St James stand starkly on a hill amid fields in Norfolk. Members of the local metal detectorist club have traversed these fields for many years and have come up with some amazing finds, including particularly rare Anglo-Saxon artefacts. Time Team was especially intrigued by the latter and by the fact that this was obviously a site of great antiquity, one that had changed much over time. Little did they know that, after excavating a large number of trenches (including one 75m long), the most exciting find of the dig would be unearthed in the last few minutes.

Bawsey as it was? Reconstruction by Steve Breeze. (animated gif – 319k)

Teaser

Is there any significance in the fact that the lettering of THOMAS on this 14th-century tile, found in the church at Bawsey St James, is backwards?

Answer

No. The blockmaker simply forgot, when he made his stamp, to cut the letters in reverse. Other tiles like this have been found in the chapter house at Castle Acre a few miles away. How this one ended up here is a mystery, although tiles were made only a short distance from the Bawsey church (many of them are now in the British Museum). The 'THOMAS' on the tile probably refers to Thomas de Wigginhall, whose term of office as prior at Castle Acre ended in 1376.

Further reading

The Anglo-Saxons edited by James Graham-Campbell (Penguin, 1991) paperback £16
Three experts have collaborated to produce this complete, illustrated guide to the Anglo-Saxons, from their arrival in England to their conversion to Christianity and defence of Britain against Viking attacks.

An Archaeology of the Early Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms by C J Arnold (Routledge, new ed. 1997) paperback £17.99
The key introduction to Anglo-Saxon studies and the polemics spurring research in this field. The book confronts the major questions concerning how Christian medieval England emerged from the chaotic and pagan Dark Ages.

Churches in the Landscape by Richard Morris (Phoenix, 1997) paperback £14.99
Classic study of the development of the English parish church. The author shows how the placing of Christian churches was often affected by earlier pagan traditions.

Recording a Church: An illustrated glossary by Thomas Cocke et al. (Council for British Archaeology, 3rd ed 1996) paperback £6.50
An invaluable reference book, giving illustrated definitions of 500 terms used to describe church architecture and furniture.

The Stone Skeleton: Structural engineering of masonry architecture by Jacques Heyman (Cambridge University Press, 1995) paperback £19.95
Explores in scientific detail the structural action of stone buildings, considering among other questions, how the flying buttress of a Gothic cathedral can transfer weight to the foundations and the effect of wind on a spire or bell-ringing on a tower.

The Vikings in Norfolk by Sue Margeson (Norfolk Museums Service, 1997) paperback £7.50
A brief but well-presented and clearly expressed account of the Viking arrival in Norfolk and what they did once settled. Lots of good pictures; easy reading.

Websites

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Norfolk

The history and heritage of King's Lynn and West Norfolk
www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/

Extract from Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk & Suffolk, 1929
ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/
Martin_Edwards_2/norfolk.html

Norfolk Archaeological Unit
www.norfolk.gov.uk/tourism/museums/arch_unt.htm

Norfolk Attractions
www.plus44.com/local/norfolk/listnorf.html

Norwich Castle Museum
www.norfolk.gov.uk/tourism/museums/castle.htm
The museum is housed in and around the stone keep of this 900-year-old Norman royal castle which for many centuries served as the county gaol.

Roman Military sites in Britain: Norfolk
www.morgue.demon.co.uk/Pages/Gazetteer/ENGS.HTM#NORF

Norman, Saxon, Medieval and Viking Britain

Anglo-Saxon England
www.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/vi/angsaxe.htm
Includes a map of Anglo-Saxon Britain and a detailed bibliography.

The Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain
www.angelcynn.org.uk/history-invastion.html
Part of the excellent Angelcynn.

The Internet Medieval Sourcebook
www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html
The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.

Jorvik Viking Centre
www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk/

The Norman Invasion Chatboard
www.cablenet.net/pages/book/chatboard/bookboard.phtml

The Saxon Shore Forts: Coastal defenses of Roman Britain
www.athenapub.com/saxshor1.htm

Secrets of the Norman Invasion
www.cablenet.net/pages/book/
Excellent site for those interested in the Norman landings.

The Shapwick Project
www.wkac.ac.uk/shapwick/
Dig by King Alfred's College, Winchester.

WWW Medieval Resources
ebbs.english.vt.edu/medieval/medieval.ebbs.html
Full of useful links.

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