Record Details

NHER Number:49445
Type of record:Monument
Name:Cropmarks of Bronze Age to Roman enclosures and field boundaries

Summary

This cropmark site consists of a large and dispersed group of enclosures and former field boundaries of unknown, but possibly late prehistoric to Roman date to the south of Hemblington Hall Road. To the north of this site is another large area of enclosures and fields (NHER 49428), also aligned northwest-southeast and northeast-southwest, and this has the appearance of a small settlement. Other groups of ditches following this pattern have been identified across a wide area (NHER 18127, 49430-1), suggesting a once extensive agricultural landscape spreading for several kilometres.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 35556 10639
Map Sheet:TG31SE
Parish:BLOFIELD, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
HEMBLINGTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
LINGWOOD AND BURLINGHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
SOUTH WALSHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

May 2007. Norfolk NMP.
This cropmark site consists of a large and dispersed group of enclosures and former field boundaries of unknown, but possibly late prehistoric to Roman date to the south of Hemblington Hall Road (S1-S4). The site is centred on TG 3549 1064.
The majority of these cropmark ditches are broadly aligned northwest-southeast and northeast-southwest. The two main concentrations of cropmarks are located at TG 3561 1096, to the north, and TG 3570 1022, to the south. This southern concentration possibly includes some rectilinear and rectangular enclosures, possibly indicating a domestic area, rather than just field boundaries. This area is characterised by a series of conjoined enclosures, ranging in size from 25, to 50m across, with trackways running alongside. It is possible that this cluster of enclosures represent a small settlement area or farmstead. These enclosures and fields are located to the east of another enclosure (NHER 18130) of probable Iron Age to Roman date, likely to represent a domestic site. It is probable that the fields and NHER 18130 are broadly contemporary. To the north of this site is another large area of enclosures and fields (NHER 49428), also aligned northwest-southeast and northeast-southwest, and this has the appearance of a small settlement. Other groups of ditches following this pattern have been identified across a wide area (NHER 18127, 49430-1), suggesting a once extensive agricultural landscape spreading for several kilometres.
It must be noted that some of the cropmarks mapped within this area were only visible on one set of vertical photography and therefore some doubt must remain over their archaeological origin and significance. However the sharing of alignment and character with those more obvious and definite cropmarks recorded to the north (NHER 18127, 49428) would imply that these more fragmentary features also relate to underlying archaeological ditches.
S. Massey (NMP) 29 May 2007.

February 2021. National Mapping Programme (NMP) Data Clean-Up.
The Monument Polygon defining the site has been expanded to include a small amount of additional mapping in the northeast corner of the site (at TG 3604 1095 and TG 3607 1113). The features had been mapped but not included within a Monument Polygon, presumably due to an oversight. They were visible on (S4), presumably as cropmarks.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council, Historic Environment Service), 26 February 2021.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • FARMSTEAD? (Unknown date)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Unknown date)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Unknown date)
  • RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
  • DITCH (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2350 BC to 409 AD?)
  • FARMSTEAD? (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2350 BC to 409 AD?)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2350 BC to 409 AD?)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2350 BC to 409 AD?)
  • RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2350 BC to 409 AD?)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE? (Early Bronze Age to Roman - 2350 BC to 409 AD?)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

<S1>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 2012-3 09-JUL-1946 (NMR).
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 5010-2 09-JUL-1946 (NMR).
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1990. OS/90224 062-3 31-JUL-1990 (NMR).
<S4>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1990. OS/90224 080-1 31-JUL-1990 (NMR).

Related records - none

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