Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Some of these cropmarks were previously recorded NHER 11788 and 17475.

April 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a Bronze Age round barrow cemetery are visible on aerial photographs in Hopton-on-Sea (S1-S10). The site consists of one extremely large round barrow, plus sixteen smaller barrows, all arranged in an elongated group. This large barrow appears to have been the focus for the site and may be Neolithic in date. The site is centred on TG 5207 0015, although this point does not correspond to an archaeological feature on the ground. Another barrow group is located to the south (NHER 43527) and two groups are separated by the narrow and shallow end of the Fritton Valley, which forks in two directions at Hopton House. Two additional ring ditches are located within the vicinity of the barrow cemetery (NHER 43528), although these have been interpreted as Iron Age to Roman date round houses, see record for details. It is possible that some of the other ring ditches recorded as part of the cemetery are also the remains of round houses, as there are several phases of field system and enclosures covering this area, in particular NHER 43559.

The main focus of the barrow cemetery is an extremely large ring ditch, 82m in diameter, centred on TG 5236 0028. The ditch is 1-2.5m wide and is bisected by the Lowestoft Road. Traces of an inner ring ditch are also visible within the southwestern arc of the ring (S3), 3-4m in from the outer ring. A small section of ditch 4m to the south of the main ring also appears to follow the curve of the ditch (S6), although this is too fragmentary too suggest that an outer concentric ring also existed. An inner ring ditch, 30m in diameter, is visible within the centre of the larger ring (S1, S6). This surrounds the parching and soilmarks of a former mound up to 26m across (S1, S3, S7). The faint traces of the earthwork mound may be visible in stereo in 1978 (S7), although this is not definite. The large diameter of this ring ditch around the barrow is quite unusual and it must be assumed that this round barrow was of particular significance and importance. The large size of this barrow and surrounding ring ditch could indicate that it is Neolithic in date. The fact that it appears to act as a focus for the smaller barrows to the west would also suggest that it the earliest element of the cemetery.

To the north of this at TG 5231 0035 is another round barrow with a slightly oval central mound, 20m in diameter, surrounded by an elliptical ditch, 24.5m diameter. The mound is still clearly visible as an earthwork in 1976 (S3), although continued ploughing as diminished it over the years. Another ring ditch to the south has visible traces of a former central mound at TG 5231 0019. This barrow is quite small, only 10m across (S3). It is located within the corner of one of the enclosed fields or paddocks of the Iron Age to Roman date farmstead (NHER 43525), but the circular parching suggest it is the remains of a small barrow and not a round house. The remainder of the barrows within the eastern part of the site are only visible as ring ditches, with no obvious traces of internal mounds. Not all of the ring ditches are complete circles and they range in diameter from 12m to 19m. Eight of the mounds (including one to the west of Hall Road) form a linear arrangement of barrows running from TG 5226 0039 to TG 5180 0011.

This linear siting of the barrows appears to be linking the large eastern barrow with another relatively large concentric ring ditch at the western end of the cemetery across Hall Road. This concentric ring ditch is centred on TG 5184 9998 and was previously recorded under NHER 17475. The cropmarks show two full rings, 24m and 31m in diameter, plus the traces of a third outer ring around the southern side of the monument (S4, S10). Three incomplete or penannular ring ditches are visible near to this concentric ring ditch, at TG 5174 9995, TG 5180 0011, TG 5182 0001. The larger two both measure between 20-22m across. The third is less circular and has a C-shaped appearance, 15m by 8m. This cluster of four ring ditches are separated from the main group to the east by the shallow end of the Fritton valley. So it is possible that this group may have formed a separate cemetery group to that on the eastern side of the valley, however they appear to follow the same roughly linear arrangement.

Although it must also be borne in mind that some of these ring ditches interpreted as round barrows could also be the remains of round houses, as there are several phases of field system and enclosures covering this area, in particular NHER 43559. The group of four ring ditches centred on TG 5205 0027 are all located within a series of enclosed fields or paddocks, one ring ditch appears to sit quite neatly in the corner of the enclosure. However the linear arrangement, plus the proximity of the larger and more definite round barrow sites probably indicates that they are part of the cemetery and not the enclosures and fields.
S. Massey (NMP), 18 April 2006.

January-February 2013. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site between Lowestoft Road and A12.
Two trenches were positioned in order to investigate the largest ring ditch, the western half of which should survive to the west of the Lowestoft Road. A number of corresponding sub-surface features were identified, including inner and outer ditches and what appeared to be a discontinuous intermediate circuit. It appears that the innermost ditch was the most substantial. Although no dating evidence were recovered, the form of the ditches was consistent with this being the remains of a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age burial monument, most likely a disc barrow. This interpretation is supported by the fact that an unurned cremation burial was discovered in the fill of the innermost ditch.

A trench was also excavated across part of the possible satellite barrow ring-ditch at TG 5231 0019. Two parallel ditches were identfified that appeared to correspond with this cropmark but unfortunately no dating evidence was recovered. It remains unclear whether this was indeed the remains of a barrow or a structural feature contemporary with the many Roman period features identified in the vicinity (as has been suggested for the cropmark features recorded as NHER 43528). The lack of finds or other cultural material does however suggest that the former remains the most likely interpretation.
See report (S11) and NHER 62519 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 February 2018.

Monument Types

• RING DITCH (Unknown date)
• BARROW CEMETERY (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 701 BC)
• ROUND BARROW (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
• HENGIFORM MONUMENT? (Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 701 BC?)
• RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
• ROUND BARROW (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE
• SHINE
• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Hopton on Sea (Parish Summary)