Kings Lynn; The Red Mount

Description

Red Mount Chapel - a remarkable structure exactly dated by the town records which contain a licence to build a chapel on 'Ladye Hylle', dated 25th January, 1485. The mount is part of an old embankment of the Ouse and may have been part of the Mediaeval town defences, and if so would have been between the earth rampart and the ditch. The chapel is of two storeys and of cruciform plan with a panelled stone vault. It was a wayside shrine for Walsingham; it subsequently served as a water cistern, a powder-magazine and a stable. (PastScape ref. Arch. Jour. 1932)

The evaluation revealed the remains of both the northern and southern wall of the original passage entrance into the Basement Chapel, along with a section of the retaining wall that encircled the mound into which the chapel is built. A brick and limestone floor surface was identified in the Basement Chapel and the foundation level of the internal chapel structure was firmly established at 4.83m OD. It was noted that the chapel was built into a previously existing mound as suggested by documentary evidence. (Norfolk HER Ref. Hall, 2002)

Comments

Possible castle mound on line of the town defences surmounted by chapel of about 1485. Protected by wet ditch and Purfleet and Millfleet. E. Rose, the Norfolk CC archaeologist, considers identification as motte unlikely. There doesn't seem to be any documentary evidence of a castle but the location is naturally well defended, this is a was a mound and this was an important medieval town and port where some administrative centre is to be expected. However the manor was episcopal until the C16. If this was a motte then short lived, presumably built immediately post-Conquest and rapidly fell out of use.