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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	1922
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Roman road

Summary

This Roman road was first discovered by probing in the River Burn which located a metalled surface. The road has since been traced and it is metalled throughout. It has wide verges but does not run particularly straight. It runs across several parishes and originally went over the site of Barwick Hall. The western end of the road may have a medieval rather than Roman origin and is recorded in 1294 as 'Kingsway'.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:	TF 847 367
Map Sheet:	TF83NW
Parish:	BARWICK, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
	SOUTH CREAKE, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
	WALSINGHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

1973. Visit by E. Rose (NAU).
Course of possible Roman road from Barwick to Egmere suggested by [1], who probed crossing of River Burn and found metalling in places. (S1) shows a diversion from present route from 8720 3715 to 8770 3725 (1922/context 1).
E. Rose (NAU), 5 October 1977.

The road is metalled throughout; it has wide verges but is not really very straight. A track, not on Ordnance Survey, still follows the western end of (S1)'s diversion. The straight road here still suffers from subsidence, which is probably why the diversion was made: it cannot be taken as an argument against a Roman origin.
E. Rose (NAU).

Before the 18th century building of Barwick House the road continued westwards across its site, curving north to follow the field boundary shown on 6 inch Ordnance Survey and to join the green lane into Docking. If the main road is Roman, this vanished western part is more likely a medieval extension diverging from the original course. Recorded as Kingsway in 1294.
See (S2).
E. Rose (NAU) 22 February 1985.

See comment on site NHER 1791 regarding South Creake enclosure award map.
E. Rose (NAU) January 1986.

2000. Field Observation and Desk-based Assessment.
Site visited and considered as part of archaeological assessment of Holkham Estate.
Obscured in conifer plantation. The diversion into East Common Wood from the line of the present road cannot be seen. Any agger there is completely obscured by undergrowth and natural humps and bumps.
See report (S3) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 28 April 2015.

Monument Types

ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
ROAD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

SHINE

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 - Roman. Barwick [2].
<S1>	Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797.
<S2>	Article in Serial: Beckett, G. 1984. The Barwicks: One Lost Village or Two?. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXIX Pt I pp 51-53. p 52.
<S3>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Penn, K. 2000. The Holkham Estate, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk. Archaeological Survey (Final Report). Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 532.