Norfolk Heritage Explorer

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SOME OF THE CROPMARKS DESCRIBED BELOW ARE NOW RECORDED AS PART OF NHER 50811.

2 August 1995. NLA aerial photography (S1).
Cropmarks of an enclosure, only half of which is showing. The visible section suggests that it is likely to be rectangular in shape. There appears to be an entrance feature near to the northeast corner (which is rounded). A much fainter cropmark can also be seen overlapping with the enclosure to the east. To the northeast is a relatively small elongated rectangular enclosure (also incomplete). To the north of the larger enclosure is a linear feature, which curves round to the south slightly.
S. Massey (NLA), 1 August 2001.

28 June 1996. NLA aerial photography (S2)-(S3).
Cropmarks still visible.
S. Massey (NLA), 26 March 2002.

February 2008. Norfolk NMP.
Some of the cropmarks described above are now recorded as part of NHER 50811. Some of the cropmarks described below were previously recorded as part of NHER 21851 and 36447.

The main elements of the cropmarks described above, together with others of the same phase in the vicinity, are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S4)-(S11), centred at TG 2781 1561. They appear to represent the remnants of fields, and possibly enclosures and trackways (see below). They form part of an extensive area of complex, multi-period cropmarks (NHER 50811), from where finds ranging in date from the Mesolithic to the post medieval period have been recovered (e.g. NHER 39738 and 31368). The orientation of the cropmarks is not entirely at odds with that of the modern field pattern, although there are clear differences, indicating the features are of relatively ancient origin. They are similar in character to several clusters of probably medieval to post medieval enclosures (NHER 50825) visible to the south, which are believed to represent the former site of Rackheath village, but again, they do not entirely conform to this pattern either, and would appear to be the earlier features. There is a definite contrast between their alignment and that of a fragmentary field system of possible Iron Age to Roman date (NHER 50818), which is also visible within this same spread of cropmarks, and at their westernmost limit the cropmarks clearly respect the site of a Bronze Age round barrow (NHER 36447). Overall, this would suggest that they are of post-Roman, probably medieval date, potentially continuing in use into the early post medieval period. They share characteristics and may be contemporary with other groups of cropmarks identified to the northeast and southeast (NHER 17676 and 32239).

The cropmarks extend for some 820m roughly west to east, arranged along a long, rather irregular and sinuous boundary ditch visible from TG 2745 1570 to TG 2786 1558 and perhaps beyond (although there is a slight change of alignment at this point). Two possible enclosures have previously been identified at TG 2761 1564 and TG 2809 1553, although as neither possesses a complete (or even near complete) ditch circuit this interpretation is impossible to confirm. The existence of an entrance in the first of these is not borne out by the mapping, and neither could the presence of any of the other enclosures mentioned be confirmed. The second enclosure, which was originally recorded as part of NHER 21851, appears to surround a pit, although this could be a geological cropmark. At two locations (TG 2763 1562 and TG 2808 1550), closely spaced double ditches may mark trackways.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 15 February 2008.

Monument Types

• BOUNDARY DITCH (Unknown date)
• DITCH (Unknown date)
• ENCLOSURE? (Unknown date)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Unknown date)
• PIT (Unknown date)
• TRACKWAY? (Unknown date)
• BOUNDARY DITCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• DITCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• ENCLOSURE? (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• PIT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• TRACKWAY? (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Wroxham (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Wroxham (Parish Summary)