Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

January 2008. Norfolk NMP.
Fragmentary cropmarks of unknown date are visible on aerial photographs (S1)-(S4), centred at TG 2979 1652. They may represent the remnants of a field system of possible Iron Age to Roman date. They lie on the northeastern edge of an area of complex multi-period cropmarks, of which they appear to be one of the earliest elements. Their orientation is at odds with that of the modern field pattern, and of cropmarks dating to a later phase of activity with which they overlap, the latter representing field boundaries and one or more enclosures of possible medieval to post medieval date (NHER 32239). They share their orientation and general character with an extensive group of coaxial field systems of probable Iron Age and/or Roman date identified over large areas of the uplands of Norfolk’s Broads zone (see Albone et al. 2007 (S5)). Consequently, a similar date is postulated for the cropmarks described here, and for others with a similar orientation and character in the vicinity (NHER 50726 to the south, NHER 50818 to the southwest). A possible ring ditch (NHER 50713), perhaps a round house, could be contemporary feature, although one of the field boundaries overlaps with it.
The cropmarks are so fragmentary that any morphological characteristics are difficult to define, but a northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast orientation is clear, and a broadly co-axial pattern possible. A double-ditched element (at TG 2978 1651) may represent the remains of a trackway. The rounded corner of a possible rectilinear enclosure, with an entrance facing southeast, is evident at TG 2968 1659, but too little is visible to be sure that it is not simply a field boundary. As with NHER 50726 to the south, the cropmarks assigned to this phase were often faint and poorly defined, and their origin and archaeological significance were not always clear. Overall, however, the shared orientation of the cropmarks and their persistent character indicates that the site as a whole is almost certainly genuine, even if not every element is certain.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 24 January 2008.

April-May 2012. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development sites at northern end of Salhouse Road.
Although the areas examined coincided with several cropmarks in the northernmost part of this group only one - a curvilinear feature at TG 2997 1672 - was associated with any evidence for subsurface remains.
See report (S6) and NHERs 61655 and 64836 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 6 April 2021.

March 2013. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
This survey identified a number of linear anomalies that appear to correspond with the cropmark features described above, including the possible corner of the rectilinear enclosure or field at TG 2968 1659. The survey also suggested that the linear features immediately to the south-east also form the corner of an enclosure or field. The north-east to south-west aligned cropmark at TG 2985 1660 was also shown to be one of two broadly parallel features. It was noted that the anomalies detected in this part of the site were very weak in nature and as a results there may well be other, undetected features present.
See report (S7) and NHER 61655 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 October 2016.

August 2013. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site.
Although the excavated trenches coincided with a number of cropmarks in the group, in most cases no corresponding sub-surface remains were identified. The main exceptions were the north-west to south-east and north-east to south-west aligned cropmarks at TG 2968 1659, which were both found to be associated with surviving ditches. Unfortunately neither feature produced any dating evidence.
See report (S8) and NHER 61655 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 6 April 2021.

Monument Types

• COAXIAL FIELD SYSTEM? (Unknown date)
• DITCH (Unknown date)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Unknown date)
• FIELD SYSTEM? (Unknown date)
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE? (Unknown date)
• TRACKWAY? (Unknown date)
• COAXIAL FIELD SYSTEM? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC? to 409 AD?)
• DITCH (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC? to 409 AD?)
• FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC? to 409 AD?)
• FIELD SYSTEM? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC? to 409 AD?)
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC? to 409 AD?)
• TRACKWAY? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC? to 409 AD?)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records