List of lost settlements in Norfolk


There are believed to be around 200 lost settlements in Norfolk, England. This includes places which have been abandoned as settlements due to a range of reasons and at different dates. Types of lost settlement include deserted medieval villages, relocated or "shrunken" villages, those lost to coastal erosion and other settlements known to have been "lost" or significantly reduced in size over the centuries, including those evacuated during World War II due to the creation of the Stanford Training Area. There are estimated to be as many as 3,000 deserted medieval villages in England.

List of lost settlements

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.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

V

W

List of possible lost settlements

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.
Settlement nameGrid referenceNotesReferences
East WaltonPossible site of a deserted medieval settlement.
FlockthorpePossible site of deserted medieval settlement.
GnattingtonMarked on a map of 1631 as Gnattington Green and possibly the site of a deserted medieval village.
HackfordPossible 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.
Helmingham or MortonA 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.
SalleEarthworks in Salle Park which are indicative of a possible medieval village site.
WhitwellPossible approximate site for a deserted medieval village.
WickenPossible site of deserted medieval village.