Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

June 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of linear ditches, possibly field boundaries of Iron Age to Roman and later date, are visible on aerial photographs (S1-4). These cropmarks are centred on TG 5166 1416 and were previously partly recorded within NHER 33744. This group of cropmarks extends across an area measuring 960m by 540m.
A large number of fragmentary linear ditch cropmarks are visible on predominantly northwest to southeast and southwest to northeast alignments. In the northern part of the group a linear ditch extends intermittently for up to 560m between TG 5138 1457 and TG 5185 1425. Several linear ditch cropmarks are aligned perpendicular to this ditch at its northwestern end suggesting the presence of fields (S2-3). However, the cropmark evidence is too fragmentary for the dimensions of any individual fields to be determined. The southeastern end of the intermittent ditch joins a northeast to southwest aligned ditch, which extends for a distance of 76m (S1). This ditch meets a curvilinear west to east aligned feature, possibly representing a natural stream course or curvilinear ditch. The northeast to southwest aligned ditch appears to continue to the southwest of the possible stream on a slightly offset alignment for at least a further 245m. It is not clear whether the same ditch continued across the stream course or whether two ditches on a similar alignment were present on either side of the stream.
In the southwest of the group, two parallel ditches on a northwest to southeast alignment appear to define a trackway. This trackway extends for a possible 260m and has a 4m wide ditch along its northeast side. The alignment of this trackway conforms to that of the ditches to its north and a possible Iron Age to Roman trackway 340m further to the west (NHER 27400). It is possible that the northwest to southeast and southwest to northeast aligned ditch cropmarks in this group are field boundaries of a contemporary date.
Also present within this group of cropmarks are north to south aligned ditches. These ditches appear to respect the position of the possible stream channel in the centre of the group (S1). Although none of these ditches are shown on the tithe map (S5), their alignment is similar to that of the surviving post medieval field pattern and they are likely to represent field boundaries of medieval to post medieval date. Other fragmentary ditch cropmarks within this group are of unknown date. There is no direct relationship between any of the cropmarks in this group and the curvilinear enclosure and ring ditches present within this area (NHER 33744). However, one section of northwest to southeast aligned ditch does cross the segmented ring ditch or pit group (NHER 27403).
J. Albone (NMP), 15 June 2005

Monument Types

• DITCH (Unknown date)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Unknown date)
• STREAM (Unknown date)
• TRACKWAY (Unknown date)
• DITCH (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• TRACKWAY (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• DITCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• STREAM (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Ormesby St Margaret with Scratby (Parish Summary)