Aldingham

The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book as a separate manor belonging to a local man named Ernulf. The name is thought to be from the Old English meaning 'home of the family or followers of Alda'. Local folklore has it that the village was once much larger—almost a mile in length—but was washed away by the tide. From the early 12th century, Aldingham was the manorial seat of the Lords of Aldingham (later known as the manor of Muchland) and the sites of two early manor houses lie around a mile south of the present village. The first and most visible is Aldingham Motte, which was begun as a ringwork before 1102 by Roger the Poitevin and was later enlarged into a motte and bailey castle…