Record Details

NHER Number:23451
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of a cricket pitch

Summary

A cricket pitch constructed in parkland at Hoveton House (NHER 30513) at the end of World War Two is visible on aerial photographs. Its location within the park had led to it having previously been misinterpreted as a possible medieval moat or post medieval park feature.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 3163 1742
Map Sheet:TG31NW
Parish:HOVETON, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

30 January 1987.
Air photograph by RAF Coltishall training flight, vertical from 4000ft (S1).
In what appears to be old parkland south of Home Farm.
Two narrow lines which, with anomalies in adjacent field boundaries, form pentagonal enclosures 130m x 150m. The lines are odd, but might just represent line of a moat.
Information from [1]
A.Gregory (NAU), 5 March 1987.

1906 25 inch map shows north side of enclosure as part of boundary crossing whole park, and east side as followed by line of trees. Looks like an odd park feature; no 'envelope' so unlikely to be due to ploughing, and two or three tiny central squares. Garden or park buildings?
E. Rose (NAU), 9 March 1987.

November 2006. Norfolk NMP
Examination of aerial photographs for the Norfolk National Mapping Programme has revealed that the features visible on the 1987 aerial photograph (S1) actually relate to a former cricket ground and are not a medieval moat or a park feature as previously suggested. The cricket ground is clearly visible on 1946 RAF aerial photographs (S2). The cricket commentator Henry Blofeld was born at Hoveton Home Farm (NHER 25035) 200m to the north of this site and refers to it in his autobiography (S3). It was constructed at the end of World War Two by German prisoners of war who had been working on the farm.
J. Albone (NMP), 28 November 2006

Monument Types

  • CRICKET PITCH (Early 20th Century to 21st Century - 1901 AD to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S1>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1987. SMR TG 3117A (RAF Coltishall) 30-JAN-1987.
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 3070-1 09-JUL-1946 (NHER TG 3117A-B).
<S3>Publication: Blofeld, H.. 2000. A Thirst for Life with the Accent on Cricket.

Related records - none

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