Record Details

NHER Number:42206
Type of record:Monument
Name:Earthworks of enclosures

Summary

Earthworks of enclosures and drainage ditches of medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs. A small rectangular enclosure is located in one corner of a larger polygonal enclosure. Both of these enclosures are bounded by an extant drainage ditch on their north side. It is likely that they are both sheep cotes, used to pen the animals overnight so that their manure could be collected. The manure was then transported to arable land elsewhere for use as fertiliser. The field had been ploughed and the earthworks levelled by 1970.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 48386 09720
Map Sheet:TG40NE
Parish:MAUTBY, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

Full description

December 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Earthworks of enclosures and drainage ditches of medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2). These earthworks are centred on TG 4839 0972 in a pasture field immediately to the south of the River Bure. A small rectangular enclosure is centred on TG 4839 0974. It is defined by a 2m wide ditch on three sides and measures 20m by 12m externally. The northern side of the enclosure is formed by an extant drainage ditch. The linear ditch along the western side of the enclosure, continues to the south as a drainage ditch for a further 63m. It leads into a large natural pond, which is also fed by curvilinear channels. This linear ditch also forms the western side of a polygonal enclosure. This enclosure has five sides and measures up to 40m by 48m externally. The small rectangular enclosure is located in its northwest corner. Its northern side is also formed by an extant drainage ditch. A later drainage ditch cuts across the northern edge of both of these enclosures. The location of these enclosures, on marshland that developed during the post-Roman period, indicates that they are likely to be of medieval to post medieval date. The small rectangular enclosure is similar to other small enclosures visible as earthworks on the marshland, with another one located 900m to the east (NHER 42157). Information from [1] suggests that these enclosures are probably sheep cotes. These small enclosures were used to pen sheep overnight so that the manure could be collected. The manure was then transported from the marshes for use as fertiliser on arable fields on the ‘upland’ (S3). The earthworks were levelled and the field had been ploughed by 1970 (S4).
J. Albone (NMP), 05 December 2005

Monument Types

  • DRAINAGE DITCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POLYGONAL ENCLOSURE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SHEEP FOLD (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • STOCK ENCLOSURE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

<S1>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1606 2013-4 27-JUN-1946 (NHER TG 4809A-B).
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 4030-1 09-JUL-1946 (NHER TG 4708B / TG 4808A).
<S3>Monograph: Williamson, T.. 1997. The Norfolk Broads: A Landscape History.. p 46.
<S4>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1970. OS/70351 152-3 20-SEP-1970.

Related records - none

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