Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

The possible long barrow is now recorded under NHER 27173.

5 July 1994. NLA aerial photography.
Enclosure with internal features which include double, concentric ring ditch and two single ring ditches (overlapping larger double one). Enclosure long axis north to south, with major entrance central to the east side. Possible smaller entrance in west side (opposite). Small ovoid enclosure adjacent (small `ovoid' long barrow).
Copy of (S1) in file.
D. Edwards (NLA) 25 March 1998.

5 July 1994. NLA aerial photography.
This is the series of shots from which D. Edwards (NLA), first discovered the site.
Site, internal and external features visible.
Enclosure ditch is clear and double ring ditch within is clear. Other features are visible, but less distinct.
Entrance to east, but northwest corner also appears incomplete or as a 'second entrance'.
Surely Iron Age or Roman.
M. Brennand (NLA), 13 February 2001.

6 July 1994. NLA aerial photography.
Images taken the day after D. Edwards (NLA) discovered the site - a wide range of images in black and white and colour concentrating on the enclosure.
Internal and external features clearly visible.
M. Brennand (NLA), 21 February 2001.

12 July 1994. NLA aerial photography.
Cropmarks visible.
H. Clare (NLA), 22 February 2001.

25 June 1996. NLA aerial photography.
Cropmarks visible.
H. Clare (NLA), 23 August 2001.

28 June 1996. NLA aerial photography.
Ovoid enclosure and central ring ditch feature still visible.
S. Massey (NLA), 28 September 2001.

October 2002. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of an impressive sub-rectangular or oblong enclosure, centred on TG 0702 4137. It measures 90m, north-south, and 64.5m, east-west. It is clearly visible on NLA oblique aerial photographs from 1994 (S1) and 1996 (S2). In particular the enclosure ditches, which provide very strong cropmark responses. These ditches vary in width from between 3.5m-5m wide towards the south of the enclosure, and between 2m-3.5m towards the north of the enclosure. Both of the long (north-south) sides of the enclosure have causeways or gaps half way along the boundary. This is most clear on the eastern side, where the ditches appear to flare outwards slightly at the point of the break. The causeway runs from TG 07081 42378 to TG 07081 41385, measuring 7.5m across. An opposing entrance is visible on the western side, however, this is not as clear and may reflect a shallower and narrower boundary, as the cropmark is not as clear and as definite as the break to the east. However, the possible break runs from TG 07021 41373 to TG 07020 41377 and is 3.4m wide. The ‘causeways’, in particular the eastern one, appears to be entrances into the site. This is illustrated by the trackway, defined by ditches leading from the entrance to the centre of the site, this will be recorded in more detail later.
To the south of the site is a linear feature running from TG 0710 4133 in an interrupted from to TG 0703 4133, at which point it joins the south-eastern end of the enclosure. It is between 1-2m wide at this point. The linear then appears to run along side the southern boundary, until the western corner and then can be seen to split into three narrower ditches, all around 0.5m across. These continue for approximately 30m in a sinuous manner. The linear feature of this boundary appears to be continued to the west in the next field, running for 79m, from TG 0697 4131 to TG 0689 4129. This boundary appears to have returned to one linear and again is approximately 2m wide. The placing of this linear would appear to suggest that this enclosure associated with a much more extensive system of boundaries, possibly defining trackways of area of land.
The interior of the enclosure has evidence for several phases of structures. These all appear to be represented by ring ditches, presumably indicating round houses or similar structures. It is possible that the earliest phase is represented by three phases of overlapping ring ditches. One is centred on TG 0704 4139 and measuring 8-9m in diameter. The south-eastern arc is missing, this appears to be due to the structure being superseded by a second, slightly larger ring ditch, centred on TG 0704 4138 and measures 10m in diameter. This is possible overlain by a third ring ditch to the east, centred on TG 0705 4139, measuring 7-8m in diameter. The relationship between the last two ring ditches is not clear, as the two arcs intersect quite closely, so it is possible that the largest of the three is the latest. A 3m arc running from TG 07041 41394 to TG 07039 41396 is visible, it is possible that this is the remains of a possible fourth ring ditch in this area.
The clearest feature within the enclosure is a concentric ring ditch within the centre of the enclosure. This feature is centred on TG 0705 4137. The inner ring ditch has a diameter of 17m and the outer one is 20m. Both of the ring ditches are approximately 0.5m wide. The concentric rings have a definite gap to the east, where both of them meet a ditched funnel, which run from the eastern entrance. The northern ditch runs from TG 0705 4138 to TG 0707 4138. The southern one runs from TG 0705 4137 to TG 0706 4137, at which point there is a gap in the cropmark, until TG 0706 4137 to TG 0704137. These parallel ditches are 5m apart and appear to lead right up to/into the central structure. To the immediate south of the main enclosure is another ring ditch feature. This is centred on TG 0705 4136 and is 14.5m wide. An 11m arc to the north is missing, as it intersects with the concentric rings. There is also a 2.5m gap to the south-west. This less complete of the two ring ditches appears to be the earlier of the two, although it is possible that they are roughly contemporary and abutted one another. Although the concentric ring ditch structure and the trackway leading to it are more convincing as a separate and later phase than the other structures.
The smaller and potentially earlier ring ditches are convincing as round houses, or rather the drip gullies of round houses. The southern most ring ditch would also fit into this category, although much larger. The larger, and potentially latest, structure defined by two circular ditches, may also relate to drip gullies of a much larger structure. Although if this is the case, the fact there are two doesn’t really make sense. Also the outer diameter of 20m is quite vast for a round roofed structure, it must have had an inner line of supporting posts nearer the centre. It is therefore possible that the concentric rings relate to a circular double ditched enclosure, or possibly a structure defined by two lines of posts of stakes, placed within a gully. Another possibility is that the width defined by the two ditches is actually marking the edge of a much wider ditch, potentially 2m wide, with only the very edges of the cut giving clear cropmarks. However, on the NLA oblique aerial photographs from 1994 (S1) the two rings are fair to clear for this to be the case. Another possibility is that the inner ring ditch represents the structure’s drip gully and then the outer ring may be a ditch enclosing the site.
Several other cropmarks are visible within the enclosure, in particular two roughly parallel linears, running from TG 0705 4134 to TG 0704 4135 and from TG 0706 4139 to TG 0704 4140. Two other linears can be seen to run from TG 0704 4140 to TG 0703 4140, and from TG 0707 4140 to TG 0706 4141. Also centred on TG 0704 4141 are two opposing, curvilinear features, 9.5m apart. It is not clear have these more fragmentary features relate to the more central structures and the enclosure, they may well not be associated. The linear features may be of a different date, in particular the linear running from TG 0703 4133 to TG 0703 4134, which crosses the southern enclosure boundary. Also to the north of the enclosure is another linear feature, visible in two sections, running from TG 0709 4142 to TG 0706 4143 and from TG 0705 4143 to TG 0703 4143. Again it is not clear whether this was related to the enclosure, although it is roughly parallel to the boundary or trackway that joins with the southern edge of the enclosure.
The interpretation of this site is not necessarily straightforward, due to the apparent changing use and plan over time. The enclosure itself appears to stay the same over time, with no obvious changes to the plan. The ditches are extremely wide, excessively large for a farmstead or settlement. They would have given a large architectural and social statement. The boundary, which joins on to the southern edge of the enclosure, appears to be later, as it seems to kink towards the enclosure, suggesting that it is an existing site that a new boundary is aligning itself with. The interior features of the enclosure, suggest a multi-phase site, presumably spanning quite a considerably time span. It would seem that the smaller ring ditches are the earliest visible element of the site. If these are round houses as suggested then, these themselves obviously multi-phase as they clearly intersect one another. It would also imply either a considerable time depth or an intentional shifting of the use of space for this sort of overlapping to occur. These round houses then seem to be superseded the large double ditched structure, which itself may be on top of an earlier, slightly smaller circular structure. The concentric structure appears to be too large to be another domestic building, unless the tradition has changed massively. The structure has the appearance of a more ceremonial site, especially with a trackway appearing to lead right into it from the enclosure entrance. This would imply that the nature of the site has shifted from domestic to ceremonial over time, however, it is hard to interpret such trends from cropmark evidence alone. It is not clear over what time span that this site was in use. It must have considerably length of occupation and use to have altered so significantly or be symptomatic of a period of rapid and drastic architectural and social change.
It seems likely that the site is essentially Iron Age, although it could have developed over a massive time scale, from Bronze Age right through to Roman. This site would benefit massively from further and on-ground research, such as field walking and metal detection. This would hopefully provide some chronological markers for this obviously multi-phase site.
S. Massey (NMP), 9 January 2003.

Monument Types

• RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• ENCLOSED SETTLEMENT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC to 42 AD)
• ENCLOSED SETTLEMENT (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• ENCLOSURE (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• ENCLOSED SETTLEMENT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• RING DITCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC) (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• SITE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Cley next the Sea (Parish Summary)