Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

THE LINEAR AND CURVILINEAR FEATURES DESCRIBED BELOW ARE NOW RECORDED AS NHER 44907.

Cropmarks. NAU and CUCAP air photographs.
Group of 8 ring ditches, 6 being single ditched, 1 double ditched and 1 treble ditched.
The double ditched feature is located at 4229 1539.
The treble ditched feature at 4245 1535.
The remaining single ditched rings between 422 015 to 4246 1535. A number of linear and curvilinear features are seen in association with these cropmarks, which are not yet planned on to overlays.
See (S1)-(S2).
D. Edwards (NAU), 18 February 1980.

August 2003.
Further cropmarks, as (S1)-(S2).
See (S3).
D. Gurney (NLA), 26 August 2003.

(S3) on CD on digital storage shelf and R:Associated Files.

August 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The linear and curvilinear features described above are now recorded as NHER 44907. NMP mapping has led to the alteration of the central grid reference of the site from TG 423 154 to TG 4236 1535.

The ring ditches described above, together with a number of additional ring ditches, are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S1)-(S5). They almost certainly represent the remains of a round barrow cemetery of probable Bronze Age date, although some elements could date from the Later Neolithic. Up to eleven ring ditches are visible, one of which (at TG 4236 1530) may overlie an earlier enclosure, or have an annexe on its northwest side. Three have more than one ditch circuit and presumably were elaborate monuments and/or saw repeated use. They are arranged in a loosely linear pattern, oriented east-to-west, but while some of the ring ditches are clearly larger and more elaborate than others, none appears to have acted as a clear focal point. (In contrast to the smaller cemetery at Roughton, NHER 38652, for example.) Other features mapped in the vicinity may have been related to the site in some way, such as the possible mortuary enclosure NHER 44905 100m to the north. The topographical location of the cemetery, overlooking the upper reaches of Shallam Dyke (presumably a significant watercourse at that time), is likely to have been significant in the choice of site.

The cemetery is visible across an area measuring approximately 275m by 140m. Working from west to east, the morphology of the individual ring ditches is as follows:
At TG 4222 1535: the ring ditch is roughly circular in shape and measures up to 22.5m in diameter. A break in the ditch on its east side may be a genuine entrance, partially blocked by a pit-like feature. The break on its southwest side is more likely to be the product of the cropmark being masked.
At TG 4225 1534: a very faint ring ditch which may not be archaeological in origin. It is oval in plan and measures 10m long and 9m wide. The cropmark of its north side may be masked.
At TG 4230 1538: a double ring ditch, the inner circle of which is notably more substantial than the outer. Its size and elaborate form suggest that it could date to the Later Neolithic period. The outer ditch measures 24m in diameter, the inner 21m. Neither is perfectly circular; parts of each circuit are noticeably flattened. Two of the pit-like marks within the inner ditch have been mapped, as they are the most likely to represent archaeological features, such as graves or post holes for example.
At TG 4231 1541: a faint cropmark that may not be archaeological in origin. It is roughly circular in plan and measures 15m in diameter. There is no evidence that the break on its west side represents a genuine entrance.
At TG 4232 1534: a ring ditch which is only roughly circular in plan. It measures approximately 20m in diameter. Its east side is masked by a modern agricultural mark.
At TG 4235 1535: a large, circular ring ditch that is cut by a modern field boundary. It measures approximately 26.5m in diameter. Ditches on the interior of its east side may represent an inturned entrance, perhaps either added to the original monument or superseded by a complete ditch circuit. It too could date to the Later Neolithic.
At TG 4236 1530: a rather misshapen ring ditch, which is roughly circular in plan but flattened on its east and southeast sides. It measures up to 23m in diameter and has a possible internal grave pit or similar feature towards its northeast side. On its northwest side, it overlies some faint curvilinear cropmarks. These could represent an earlier curvilinear enclosure, or perhaps an annexe to the ring ditch itself. The enclosure appears to have been at least partially double ditched, and measures approximately 30m by 13m.
At TG 4243 1528: a roughly circular, non-concentric double ring ditch. The outer ditch measures 25m in diameter, the inner 13m. Apparent breaks in their circuits are all likely to be due to the cropmarks being masked. The inner ditch has a possible internal pit or grave; also visible is a length of linear ditch, but this is probably part of the larger group of ditches mapped in the vicinity (NHER 44907).
At TG 4245 1534: a group of three concentric ring ditches, with a number of possible internal pits, graves or similar features, inside the inner ditch. The inner ditch measures approximately 12m in diameter; the middle ditch measures approximately 20m in diameter; the outer ditch measures 27.5m in diameter. The ring ditches become progressively less circular from inner to outer, the outermost being almost sub-rectangular in plan. A substantial curvilinear ditch visible immediately to the south is more likely to be associated with the ring ditch than the surrounding linear features. The size and elaborate form of the monument suggest that it could date to the Later Neolithic period.
At TG 4248 1533: a circular ring ditch measuring 18m in diameter. It has a possible entrance on its east side, defined by slightly swollen terminals.
At TG 4248 1537: a faint cropmark which may not be archaeological in origin. It is only partially visible, but appears to be circular in plan and measures 14m in diameter.

It should be noted that due to a lack of suitable control points, rectification of the aerial photographs was poor, and this may have had an adverse effect on the accuracy of the mapping.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 7 August 2006.

Monument Types

• ANNEXE ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• CURVILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Undated)
• PIT (Unknown date)
• POST HOLE (Unknown date)
• RING DITCH (Unknown date)
• GRAVE (Late Neolithic - 3000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
• PIT (Late Neolithic - 3000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
• POST HOLE (Late Neolithic - 3000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
• RING DITCH (Late Neolithic - 3000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
• ROUND BARROW (Late Neolithic - 3000 BC? to 2351 BC?)
• ANNEXE ENCLOSURE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• BARROW CEMETERY (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• CURVILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• GRAVE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• PIT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• POST HOLE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• ROUND BARROW (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Ashby with Oby (Parish Summary)