Record Details
| NHER Number: | 42382 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Possibly medieval to post medieval drains at Winterton Holmes |
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Summary
A group of probable drains, perhaps dating to the medieval to post medieval period, is visible as earthworks, vegetation marks, cropmarks and soilmarks on aerial photographs. The main element of the site, a substantial, sinuous ditch, may have originated as a natural channel and was perhaps adapted to form a drain in the medieval to post medieval period. The narrower drains to its southeast may be of later post medieval date. These features may be a continuation of the extensive medieval to post medieval drainage system visible immediately to the north (NHER 42360).
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 4811 2135 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG42SE |
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| Parish: | WINTERTON ON SEA, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK |
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Full description
January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of ditches is visible as earthworks, vegetation marks, cropmarks and soilmarks on aerial photographs (S1)-(S4), centred at TG 4812 2134. The main element of the site is a sinuous ditch visible as a cropmark and soilmark, in two segments, between TG 4797 2148 and TG 4815 2128. Parts of this appear man-made, suggesting that it was used as a drain, but its sinuous outline and ‘braided’ character indicate that it probably originated as a natural channel. Adapted natural channels are typical of early drainage works, as outlined by Williamson (S5), and may date back to the medieval period. Two narrower drains, one of which may be a continuation of the sinuous ditch, are visible as earthworks and vegetation marks to its southeast. These are undated but their general appearance has more in common with post medieval or even modern drains. The group as a whole may be a further part of the extensive medieval to post medieval drainage system visible immediately to the north (NHER 42360). Its relationship with the rather dubious archaeological features immediately to its west (NHER 42385) is not known.
The abrupt division of the north end of the sinuous ditch into two separate ditches is a result of only that part of the ditch being visible on oblique aerial photographs taken in 1976 (S4); no division is visible on the other aerial photographs.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 13 January 2006.
Monument Types
- DITCH (Unknown date)
- DRAIN (Unknown date)
- DRAINAGE DITCH (Unknown date)
- DITCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
- DRAIN (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
- DRAINAGE DITCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1944. RAF 106G/LA/17 4001-2 28-MAY-1944 (NMR). |
| <S2> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1952. RAF 540/705 5153-4 09-APR-1952 (NMR). |
| <S3> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1955. RAF 82/1214 (F21) 0343-4 06-JUN-1955 (NMR). |
| <S4> | Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1976. NHER TG 4821A-B (NLA 32/AGC14-5) 13-JUL-1976. |
| <S5> | Monograph: Williamson, T.. 1997. The Norfolk Broads: A Landscape History.. pp 64-65. |
Related records - none
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