Record Details

NHER Number:44853
Type of record:Monument
Name:Cropmarks of a possible double ring ditch

Summary

Cropmarks of a possible double ring ditch of Bronze Age date are visible on aerial photographs. These cropmarks were previously recorded as part of NHER 11675. Two incomplete and roughly concentric ring ditch cropmarks are present. The outer ditch has a sub-circular plan with a narrow ditch and an external diameter of 14m. The inner ring ditch is off-centre and has a diameter of 10m. This ring ditch is located adjacent to the Thwaite / Ditchingham parish boundary on a north facing slope at 20m OD. It forms part of a dispersed barrow cemetery (NHER 11675).
The partial investigation of the site of these cropmarks in 2011 revealed no evidence for a Bronze Age barrow and nothing that could be directly associated with the cropmarks. They did however partly coincide with a large pit or hollow that produced post-medieval finds.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 3366 9301
Map Sheet:TM39SW
Parish:THWAITE, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

July 2006. Norfolk NMP
Cropmarks of a possible double ring ditch of Bronze Age date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S3). These cropmarks are located at TM 3367 9301 and were previously recorded as part of NHER 11675. Two incomplete and roughly concentric ring ditch cropmarks are present. The outer ditch has a sub-circular plan with a narrow ditch and an external diameter of 14m. It is cut on its western side by Bungay Road, which also forms the parish boundary between Thwaite and Ditchingham. The inner ring ditch is off centre and adjoins the southern side of the outer ring ditch. It has a sub-circular to sub-oval plan with a narrow ditch and an external diameter of up to 10m. It is possible that these ring ditches are of Bronze Age date and that they relate to a multiphase round barrow. This possible round barrow is located on a gentle north facing slope at 20m OD and forms part of a dispersed barrow cemetery (NHER 11675).
J. Albone (NMP), 18 July 2006.

November 2011. Trial Trenching and Excavation.
The site of these cropmarks was investigated prior to the installation of a new water main.
A trench placed across the site of the cropmarks revealed an undated east-to-west aligned ditch that lay approximately 3m to the north of the possible outer ring ditch. Occupying the southern half of the trench and partially coinciding with the mapped position of the cropmarks was a large pit or hollow that was still visible as an extant earthwork.
A subsequent excavation at this site demonstrated that the previously observed ditch was slightly curvilinear but no finds were recovered and there was no evidence to suggest it was associated with a barrow. Further investigation of the large pit recovered a small number of post-medieval finds.
See report (S4) and NHER 64871 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 24 April 2021.

Monument Types

  • RING DITCH (Unknown date)
  • RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)
  • ROUND BARROW (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

<S1>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1974. NHER TM 3392H-M (NLA 12/AEJ1-3, 6-7) 12-JUL-1974.
<S2>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1974. NHER TM 3392R-S (NLA 12/SLIDE) 12-JUL-1974.
<S3>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1977. NHER TM 3392AZ-ABA (NLA 56/ALF12-3) 02-AUG-1977.
<S4>Unpublished Contractor Report: Hickling, S. 2012. Archaeological Evaluation, Excavation and Watching Brief along the route of Loddon WT, Bungay Road, Thwaite St Mary, Norfolk. NPS Archaeology. 2815.

Related records

11675Part of: Bronze Age to Iron Age barrow cemetery (Monument)

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