Record Details

NHER Number:29562
Type of record:Monument
Name:Cropmarks of Late Iron Age to Roman settlement

Summary

A complex system of cropmarks probably dating to Late Iron Age to Roman periods, is visible on NLA aerial photographs from 1974 and 1986. The site consists of rectilinear enclosures, field systems and trackways, possibly relating to settlement and stock management. Geophysical survey in 2012 recorded a large number of positive linear and area anomolies over a slightly larger area than that of the cropmarks, but none of these features could be confidently attributed to the Iron Age or Romano-British period.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 6823 3679
Map Sheet:TF63NE
Parish:HEACHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

10 July 1986. NAU air photography.
Linear cropmarks.
D. Edwards (NAU)

Large site includes NHER 1421, NHER 1482, NHER 23319.

April 2002. Norfolk NMP.
A complex system of linears, trackways and enclosures overlying each other in at least two phases is visible on NLA oblique aerial photographs from 1974 (S1) to (-2) and 1986 (S3). The site consists of rectilinear enclosures, field systems and trackways, possibly relating to settlement and stock management. The main area of cropmarks are centred at TF 6835 3671.The cropmarks appear to be that of enclosures, some possibly relating settlement and occupation, although the majority are probably fields and stock enclosures. It is possible that these enclosure ditches, which define the narrow strips, may be earlier than the larger, more regular enclosures to the north and west. The trackway may have been in use in one form of another throughout the sites history, as it may relate to all the possible phases of enclosure, as was suggested above, the changes may have been gradual, with some elements staying in use and others being allowed to silt up. The strip fields may be date to the Late Iron Age-Romano-British period in date, with site then developing through the Roman period, with the more organised, regular enclosures being the latest elements. A main trackway runs across the site from TF 6842 3667 to TF 6826 3676, 185m long and a minimum of 6m wide. The ditches either side of the trackway appear braided and evidence suggests recutting. A series of ditches are arranged either side of this trackway, perpendicular to it. To the south these define narrow strips, 50m by 10m. To the north is an area of very regularly subdivided land, which are possibly also linked to the trackway, although these have a slightly different alignment, north northwest to south southeast. This area is centred on TF 6839 3682. These ditches are wider, up to 2m, straighter and more prominent. The areas enclosed are larger and more rectangular, varying from 50m by 30m, to over 100m wide. The main axis of alignment of this part of the site can be seen to continue to the whole of the N.W. of the site, where ditches loosely defined larger and fields. A wide, slightly sinuous trackway runs from TF 6832 3690 to TF 6848 3704 and may form part of this phase of enclosure. To the south of the site, centred at TF 6837 3668, is an area of cropmarks juxtaposed upon this more regular pattern. The orientation varies, although it is roughly E-W. Again some of these run up to the main trackway, although generally they seem to represent a different phase of the site. An enclosure is visible at TF 6838 3674, roughly 100m by 55m. The interior is subdivided into narrow strips by ditches, approximately 10m wide. The pattern of ‘strip’ fields is then repeated to the south at TF 6836 3663. At TF 6839 3665 is a group of linears which seem to relate to and link all three elements of the site. This may indicate that the distinction between the three phases is blurred and some change may have been gradual.
S. Massey (NMP), 9 April 2002.

July 2012. Geophysical Survey.
Detailed magnetometry (gradiometer) survey on a large area of land which included that described above containing cropmarks, has identified a large number of positive linear and area anomolies, which may relate to cut features, such as ditches and pits, of archaeological origin.The area of the geophysics has been recorded as an event polygon attached to the Stratascan event within this record, as it is slightly different to the area of cropmarks.
Particular concentrations were seen in the eastern region of the site, but no anomolies that could be confidently suggested as being of archaeological origin were identified to the west of the known cropmark site.
See report (S4) for further details.
E. Ford (HES), 01 October 2012.

Monument Types

  • LINEAR FEATURE (Unknown date)
  • SITE (Unknown date)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
  • RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
  • SETTLEMENT (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
  • TRACKWAY (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TF6836 Y-AA.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1974. SMR TF 6836F (NLA 6/ABL16) 21-JUN-1974.
<S2>Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1974. SMR TF 6836Ub (NLA 6/SLIDE) 21-JUN-1974.
<S3>Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1986. SMR TF 6836Z (NLA 176/DAY18) 10-JUL-1986.
<S4>Unpublished Contractor Report: Smalley, R. 2012. Geophysical Survey Report. Lynn Road, Heacham, Norfolk. Stratascan. J3136.

Related records - none

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