Record Details

NHER Number:50811
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of complex, multi-period field boundaries, trackways and enclosures

Summary

An extensive group of complex, multi-period field boundaries, trackways and enclosures is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. For the group as a whole, a broad date range, spanning the Iron Age to post medieval period, can be postulated for many of the cropmarks. Finds dating from the Mesolithic to the post medieval period have been recovered from the area (e.g. NHER 19345-6). Many of the cropmarks can be assigned to a particular phase, whether of postulated Iron Age to Roman date (NHER 50818), medieval to post medieval date (NHER 36449 and 50825-6), or post medieval date (NHER 50817, 50812 and 36448), and these have been recorded individually. Others, included only in this general record, are less easy to interpret, and in some cases may be of non-archaeological origin. The site overlaps with the cropmarks of what appear to be earlier prehistoric monuments, including a possible Neolithic mortuary enclosure or long barrow (NHER 51021) and two possibly Bronze Age enclosures (NHER 29561 and 50758). There is also possible evidence of World War Two military activity in the area (NHER 50844). A period (or periods) of use contemporary with some of the multi-phase cropmarks (NHER 50802 and 50805) identified to the west of Dobbs’ Beck is probable, but the nature of any relationship is not clear.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 2773 1521
Map Sheet:TG21NE
Parish:RACKHEATH, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
SALHOUSE, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
WROXHAM, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

February 2008. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks described below incorporate all or part of sites previously recorded as NHER 36447 (the postulated pit alignment, more probably just a ditch), 36449, 21851, 29561, 50599 and 51021. This record is the parent record for NHER 50817, 50826, 50825, 50818, 36449, 36448 and 50812.

An extensive group of complex, multi-period field systems, trackways and enclosures is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S1)-(S13), centred at TG 2773 1526. For the group as a whole, a broad date range, spanning the Iron Age to post medieval period, can be postulated. Finds dating from the Mesolithic to the post medieval period have been recovered from the area (e.g. NHER 19345-6). Many of the cropmarks can be assigned to a particular phase, whether of postulated Iron Age to Roman date (NHER 50818), medieval to post medieval date (NHER 36449 and 50825-6), or post medieval date (NHER 50817, 50812 and 36448), and these have been recorded individually. Those of medieval to early post medieval date may relate to the former village of Rackheath (see NHER 50825). Others cropmarks, included only in this general record, are less easy to interpret, and in some cases may be of non-archaeological origin. In particular, those to the southeast of Church Farm and to the south of Swash Lane are of doubtful significance. The parallel ditches or trackway recorded immediately to the west of Rackheath Church (formerly numbered NHER 12630) look modern. The cropmarks surround what appear to be earlier prehistoric monuments, including a possible Neolithic mortuary enclosure or long barrow (NHER 51021) and two possibly Bronze Age enclosures (NHER 29561 and 50758). There is also possible evidence of World War Two military activity in the area (NHER 50844). A period (or periods) of use contemporary with some of the multi-phase cropmarks (NHER 50802 and 50805) identified to the west of Dobbs’ Beck is probable, but the nature of any relationship is not clear.
Also see (S14)
S. Tremlett (NMP), 15 February 2008.

Monument Types

  • ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Unknown date)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Unknown date)
  • TRACKWAY (Unknown date)
  • ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to 19th Century - 800 BC to 1900 AD)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Early Iron Age to 19th Century - 800 BC to 1900 AD)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Early Iron Age to 19th Century - 800 BC to 1900 AD)
  • TRACKWAY (Early Iron Age to 19th Century - 800 BC to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

<S1>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1974. NHER TG 2714B (NLA 10/ACJ21) 08-JUL-1974.
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Meridian Airmaps Limited. 1976. MAL 76053 096 29-JUN-1976 (NMR).
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Meridian Airmaps Limited. 1976. MAL 76053 169-70 29-JUN-1976 (NMR).
<S4>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1980. NHER TG 2714M-N (NLA 90/APM17-8) 11-JUL-1980.
<S5>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1981. NHER TG 2815B-C (CUCAP CPF82, 86) 14-SEP-1981.
<S6>Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1981. CUCAP (CPF84) 14-SEP-1981.
<S7>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1986. NHER TG 2715A-F (NLA 173/DAU2-7) 30-JUN-1986.
<S8>Vertical Aerial Photograph: BKS. 1988. BKS 0136-7 07-AUG-1988 (NCC 3281-2).
<S9>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1990. OS/90224 145-7 31-JUL-1990 (NMR).
<S10>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. NHER TG 2715Q-R (NLA 362/JDR2-3) 19-JUN-1996.
<S11>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. NHER TG 2715AC-AD (NLA 365/FFM12-13) 28-JUN-1996.
<S12>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. NHER TG 2715AF-AG (NLA 365/HXN1-2) 28-JUN-1996.
<S13>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. NHER TG 2715H-L (NLA 373/JBF7-10) 19-JUL-1996.
<S14>Article in Serial: Horlock, S., Albone, J. and Tremlett, S. 2008. The Archaeology of Norfolk's Aggregate Landscape: Results of the National Mapping Programme. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLV Pt III pp 337-348.

Related records

36448Parent of: Site of enclosure and associated linear ditches of unknown, possibly post medieval or modern date (Monument)
36449Parent of: Site of field boundaries and possible trackways and enclosures of probable medieval to post medieval date (Monument)
50812Parent of: Site of possible enclosure or boundary ditch, of probably post medieval date (Monument)
50818Parent of: Site of possible Iron Age to Roman period field system (Monument)
50817Parent of: Site of post medieval field boundaries (Monument)
50825Parent of: Site of small enclosures of possible medieval to post medieval date, perhaps the former site of Rackheath village (Monument)
50826Parent of: Site of undated, possibly medieval to post medieval, rectilinear ditches, perhaps an enclosure (Monument)
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