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The Lost Village of Godwick

The Lost Village of Godwick is one of the best preserved deserted medieval villages in Norfolk and one of only a few interpreted for the public.

The fact that it is has been grazed by livestock for so many years and never cultivated means this ancient landscape’s features are etched into the pastureland that runs between the tower of Godwick All Saints’ Church and Godwick Great Barn.

Photo credit: Jacob Malinski

The Lost Village of Godwick

The Lost Village of Godwick is one of the best preserved deserted medieval villages in Norfolk and one of only a few interpreted for the public.

The fact that it is has been grazed by livestock for so many years and never cultivated means this ancient landscape’s features are etched into the pastureland that runs between the tower of Godwick All Saints’ Church and Godwick Great Barn.

Photo credit: Jacob Malinski

The Lost Village of Godwick

History

The Garner family are fortunate to have been the custodians of this land for over 90 years with William Garner taking over the tenancy of the farm in 1928 and eventually buying it from the Holkham Estate in 1959. In that time there have been many recent changes. The last surviving remains of the Old Hall were pulled down in 1960s as they had become too dangerous. And in 1981 a ferocious storm saw the eastern half of the tower fall away and collapse.

Godwick though remains one of the best preserved of Norfolk’s so called “Lost Villages” and this trail of six new interpretation panels around the site tells the story of the landscape and the history that has left it looking the way it does.

This website gives additional information about each of the six panels and allows visitors to get more interpretation and images.

© Copyright HexCam 

Godwick lost village interpretation panels

Point of interest

Located onsite, you will find 6 key areas of interest. Below are the details to go alongside these area.

Introduction

Welcome to Godwick, the site of an abandoned village, an Old Hall, a Great Barn and a landscape park.

Medieval Streets & Marl Pits

Godwick’s main street linked the village to Whissonsett and Tittleshall. Today it survives as a ‘hollow way’, a broad linear depression up to 7m wide.

The Lost Village Of Godwick

Godwick is one of the best preserved deserted medieval villages in Norfolk and the only one interpreted for the public.

Godwick Great Barn

The Great Barn is one of the most important buildings of its date and type in Norfolk. The elaborate west wall was designed to impress.

The Ruins of Godwick All Saints

The tower is all that remains of All Saints’ Church. In 1100 Ralph de Tosny gave the right to appoint Godwick’s priest to West Acre Priory, so we know there was a church here by then.

Godwick Old Hall

Low walls mark the outline of the Old Hall and its walled garden. It may be difficult to imagine now, but this brick building once had a grand central porch and stood three-storeys tall.

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