Elveden Warren

Map of Location

Warren Features

Earliest documentary evidence

A post-medieval foundation, formed from the ‘Border’ between Eriswell, Downham and Lakenheath Warrens in the 1600s.

Survey of 1618
[WSROB HD1538/212]

Lodges

Two lodge sites marked on Hodskinson’s 1783 Map and these may correspond to the Upper and Nether Warrens. 1802 Estate Plan names them as Eldon Lodge and High Wrong Lodge – see below.

Lodge marked as ‘warrenhouse’ on Tithe Map 1841 is a more likely description as this warren was post-medieval.

The OS 1905 Map names ’ Spinks Lodge’ at TL79568228.
[WSROB T57/1.2]

Boundary Banks

warren banks  Marked on estate map of 1700s.[WSROB MC547/9]

Number of Gates

Highway diversions and old roads on maps 1802 and 1816
[QSH/28 and QSH/29]

Leases

The lease of 1665 notes that it was divided into Upper and Nether Warrens (Elveden Mss J3)[NRO KIM4/3/36]

Forestry Commission

Largely covered with Forestry Commission plantations on land leased from the Elveden Estate

Trapping Banks

TL791817 Four banks but easternmost fades out as runs south. Each c2m wide and 0.5m high. Bracken and grass covered.

Boundary Banks

1 Low bank  0.3m wide x 01 m high. Intermittent tree cover.
2 Double banks each 0.5 wide x 0.4 high. Distance between top s of banks 6.5m. Covered with pines.
3 Double banks. Nearest to track 0.5m wide x 0.7m high; other 0.5m wide x 1m high.
Stump-row intersects banks at TL79773 82471 (photogragh E ). Dense bracken cover but no trees. Inner bank disappears under dug-over earth.
4 Single bank 6m wide x 2m high. Crosses open area. Dense bracken cover.
5 Single bank  6m wide x 2m high. Turns corner at angle to trackway. Pine rows on bank.
6 Single bank 0.2m wide x 0.1m high only just visible as a low mound. Bracken cover4 with a few trees.
7 Single bank 1m wide x 1m high. Crosses track and is clearly defined on either side. Damaged by machinery at TL79400 82095. Then internal bank 7m wide x 0.5m high. Joins double perimeter bank but this join not shown on the stock map. Has single oaks along the top c75+ years old. 8 Double banks. Low bank next to the track 8m wide x 0.5m high and then bank 12m wide
and 1m high; 20m between the two banks. Both covered with bracken and trees.
9 Banks from Section 8 insignificant low mounds through plantation.
10 Low mound in plantation 2m wide x 0.5m high with possible second bank to the south.
11 Virtually indistinct in plantation
12 Four banks but easternmost fades out as runs south. Each c2m wide and 0.5m high.
Bracken and grass covered.
13 Double banks on west – this is the boundary with Wangford Warren 4m wide x 0.6m high then lower bank, 2.5m x 0.3m to east. 40m between double Banks and single bank. Bracken cover.
14 Double banks as in Section 13 and single inner bank less distinct and only 20m between it and double banks. Little bracken; instead, tree cover.
15 Perimeter fence at boundary with Centre Parcs – may be along perimeter bank of
Warren, according to the 1805 map.
16 Bank comes in from south, crosses track at TL81299 80943. 0.7m wide x 0.2m high.
17 Very indistinct but possible bank.
18 and 19 No banks apparent and plantation very dense and not yet thinned.
20 Single bank crosses track and runs east-west. 6m wide x 1m high. Dense bracken cover.
21 Single bank end-on at track, coming from direction of Section 20 bank.
22 Continues on other side of track 8m wide and 1m high until reaches Brandon-Bury Road.

Lodges

Spinks Lodge is a farmhouse-type building of chalk and flint. Not possible to look closely as private dwelling with fenced garden.

SMR (Colin Pendleton) Building currently marked on OS map as Spinks’ Lodge.  Described on Hodskinson’s map of 1783 as Elveden Lodge (S1).
1841 tithe map marks this as `Warren House’ (S2).  Located on the edge of Elveden Warren – highly likely to be warren
lodge, although unclear if originally a medieval building, present building looks like C19 farmhouse.  Derelict.
Shown on plan by John Griffin (1801) as Elden Lodge within Elden Warren (R1).

Boundary Banks

SMR Bank/s along parish and warren boundaries between Elveden and Wangford – extension on west side of main warren banks, ELV 024.  Marked on various OS maps, shown as triangular block of woodland on OS 1st edition of 1836.