Record Details

NHER Number:27074
Type of record:Monument
Name:Late Neolithic or Bronze Age ring ditch or hengiform monument

Summary

The cropmarks of large concentric ring ditch or hengiform monument of possible late Neolithic to Bronze Age date are visible on oblique aerial photographs from 1976. The site is bisected by a field boundary giving it a markedly hengiform appearance. However it is thought that at least one of these causeways is original.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 96192 41303
Map Sheet:TF94SE
Parish:STIFFKEY, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

CROPMARKS FORMERLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 1867.

October 2002. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of large concentric ring ditch or hengiform monument of possible late Neolithic to Bronze Age date are visible on NLA oblique aerial photographs from 1976 (S1). The site appears to be located on the valley floor alongside a tributary of the River Stiffkey. The site is bisected by a field boundary giving it a markedly hengiform appearance. However it is thought that at least one of these causeways is original and therefore this ring ditch may represent an elaborate Late Neolithic or Bronze Age hengiform monument, rather than a burial site. Several other Bronze Age round barrow and ring ditch sites are located along this valley, NHER 11326, NHER 11550 and NHER 1854.
This elaborate ring ditch site was formerly recorded under NHER 1867, a site mainly consisted of Roman finds and building material. The monument consists of a large concentric ring ditch. The outer ring is a massive 45m in diameter and ditch itself appears to measuring 4-5m across. A field boundary and hedge bisect the whole site. Although it seem that just to the west of this hedgerow there is an apparent gap or causeway at least 5m wide, which does not appear to relate to the boundary cutting through. This may be an original, southern entrance or causeway. The inner ring ditch is 23.5m in diameter and the ditch is 1.5m wide.
S. Massey (NMP), 9 October 2002.

October 2013. Field Visit.
The site was visited as part of an Environmental Stewardship HLS consultation. When visited the site was still under cultivation therefore no features were visible in the field, however numerous fragments of Roman ceramic building material and pottery were noticed within the cultivated field. Part of the field was subsequently converted to chalk grassland.
K. Powell (HES), 17 April 2015

Monument Types

  • RING DITCH (Unknown date)
  • HENGIFORM MONUMENT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)
  • RING DITCH (Bronze Age - 2350 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Article in Serial: Massey, S., Brennand, M. and Clare, H. 2003. The National Mapping Programme in Norfolk, 2001-3. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt II pp 335-344. pp 338-339; Fig 2.
<S1>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1976. NHER TF 9641E-F (NLA 29/AFJ/22-3) 06-JUL-1976.

Related records

1867Related to: Remains of Roman building and multi-period finds (Monument)

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