Record Details
| NHER Number: | 1590 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Course of a former road called Brancastergate and Somersway |
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Summary
A former road between Sedgeford and Brancaster is marked on a 1630 estate map of Sedgeford when it was labelled as 'Brancastergate' and 'Somersway'. It is also marked on Faden's 1797 and Bryant's 1826 maps of Norfolk. It is likely that this road is of medieval to post medieval date. Part of the course of this road is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. Another section further to the southeast survives as a public footpath and farm track.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 7389 3882 |
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| Map Sheet: | TF73NW |
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| Parish: | DOCKING, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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| SEDGEFORD, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Road shown here on 1824 map.
R. R. Clarke (NCM)
Clarke probably meant (S1) which not only shows the road, but where is crosses the present northwest to southeast road there are marked four plantations called Magpies.
E. Rose (NLA), 22 May 2000.
March 2006. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of a road, of probable medieval to post medieval date, are visible on aerial photographs (S2). The central grid reference for this section of road has been amended from TF 7407 3888 to TF 7392 3886. Cropmarks relating to the road are intermittently visible for 1.26km on a southwest to northeast alignment between TF 7352 3832 and
TF 7426 3932. The northeastern section of the road appears as a negative cropmark, probably caused by a compacted or metalled road surface. Further to the southwest it is visible as a positive cropmark, indicating that the road may have existed as a hollow way.
This road is marked on Bryant’s 1826 Map of Norfolk (S1). However the group of four triangular plantations at the crossroads with the surviving Ringstead to Docking road is called ‘Mince Pies’ on this map, not ‘Magpies’ as stated above. The road is also shown on Faden’s 1797 Map of Norfolk (S3). At that time it extended from Sedgeford in the southwest towards Brancaster in the northeast. An estate map of Sedgeford dating to 1630 shows this road labelled as 'Brancastergate' and 'Somersway' (S4). The road towards Sedgeford survives as a public footpath but is not visible as cropmarks. Its southwestern part seems to exist as a farm track to the east of East Hall Farm. The section of road recorded here had disappeared by the time of the first edition 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map in the 1880s (S5). It is likely that this road is of medieval or post medieval date, but an earlier origin can not be ruled out. This road, and the surviving Ringstead to Docking road, appear to cut a group of rectilinear enclosures of possible Roman date (NHER 43315).
(J. Albone (NMP), 01 March 2006
Monument Types
- ROAD (Unknown date)
- ROAD (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Miscellaneous. Docking. |
| <S1> | Map: Bryant, A.. 1826. Bryant's Map of Norfolk. |
| <S2> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1571 3086-7 07-JUN-1946 (NHER TF 7439A / TF 7339B). |
| <S3> | Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797. |
| <S4> | Map: 1631. Estate map of Sedgeford. |
| <S5> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1887-1891. Ordnance Survey first edition 6" (1887-1891) Sheet VI.SE. |
Related records - none
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