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Under Canute
Little is known of the manor of Somersham in pre conquest times and we can only piece together the fragments that have been passed down. In Bentham's 18th century work on Ely he mentions traditions going back to Canute. The extract below shows that Somersham was still owned by Ely Abbey, but was farmed out to a tenant. It seems unlikely that there would have been a manor house here during this period.
The abbot with King Canute’s consent and favour let out many of his estates to tenants who were obliged in return to bring in provisions two whole weeks in the year.(There then follows a list of manors each required to provide two weeks provisions including Sumeresham)
Bentham also notes that the following use of the woods at Somersham in the early 11th century:
Bishop Nigellus also granted one tree for firing in every week in the year out of Somersham Wood for the use of the infirmary.
These are references to charter records in the Ely collection in Bentham’s “History of Ely Cathedral”