Record Details

NHER Number:52293
Type of record:Monument
Name:Cropmarks of a trackway and another major boundary and/or road of possible Roman to post medieval date

Summary

The cropmarks of a trackway and another major boundary and/or road of possible Roman to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs within the Harford Farm site (NHER 9794), which was excavated in advance of construction of the A47 Southern Bypass (S11), for details of the excavation see record NHER 9794. The main component of this site is a relatively sinuous trackway running broadly from west to east and almost joining the Harford Park and Ride (NHER 39268) and Harford Farm (NHER 9794) complexes. Another major boundary or possible Roman road may also present to the south and this may lead towards the Roman settlement to the southwest (NHER 9786). Alternatively it may represent a medieval to post medieval land boundary.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 2251 0393
Map Sheet:TG20SW
Parish:CAISTOR ST EDMUND, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Some parts of this site were previously recorded under NHER 11757.

June 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a trackway and another major boundary and/or road of possible Roman to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S10) within the Harford Farm site (NHER 9794), which was excavated in advance of construction of the A47 Southern Bypass (S11), for details of the excavation see record NHER 9794. The site is centred on TG 2249 0401.
The main component of this site is a relatively sinuous trackway running broadly from west to east and joining the Harford Park and Ride (NHER 39268) and Harford Farm (NHER 9794) complexes. The character of this trackway alters noticeably from west to east – changing from being quite irregular and broad in nature at the western end (S6, S8, S10) to a markedly straight and narrow track to the east (S4). This changing character may reflect the fact that the route was in use over a long period of time or was re-worked or amended during different phases. A small section of the eastern end of the trackway cuts across the eastern disc barrow (NHER 52285) and this section was excavated as part of the Southern Bypass development (S11). Part of this trackway appeared to what was considered to be a post-Saxon ditch and was therefore interpreted as being medieval to post medieval in date (S11). While it is possible that the whole trackway dates to this period, this is far from certain and an earlier origin for some or all of it must be considered a possibility.
Another boundary of uncertain date grouped within this group is the bank and ditch boundary or road within the southern part of the site (S4, S7). The date of the boundary and/or trackway is uncertain and while a medieval to post medieval date is also a good possibility (although it is not apparent on any of the available historic maps, such as the Tithe), an earlier and Roman date must also be considered. This boundary or road and other minor boundaries, running either perpendicular or parallel to it, would appear to have a strong relationship with enclosures and boundaries to the south associated with the Roman extramural settlement (NHER 52194) to west of the Roman town (NHER 9786). It is therefore possible that the bank and ditch boundary may in fact represent a former Roman road to the settlement, leading towards a possible river crossing to the northwest of the town and perhaps associated with the possible section of road (NHER 52275) recorded on the opposite side of the river. It is also worth noticing that this route would potentially bridge the gap in the possible Roman road route to the west (NHER 9762), which is not currently known past the point at which this cropmark is recorded.
S. Horlock (NMP), 25 June 2009.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Unknown date)
  • TRACKWAY (Unknown date)
  • DITCH (Roman to 19th Century - 43 AD to 1900 AD?)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Roman to 19th Century - 43 AD to 1900 AD?)
  • ROAD? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD?)
  • TRACKWAY (Roman to 19th Century - 43 AD to 1900 AD?)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

<S1>Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1959. CUCAP (YI52) 17-JUN-1959.
<S2>Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1960. CUCAP (ABL70-3) 22-JUN-1960 (NHER TG 2204AJA-B, AHZ).
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1962. RAF 543/1883 (F22) 0100-1 27-SEP-1962 (NMR).
<S4>Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1973. CUCAP (BOB53) 05-JUL-1973.
<S5>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D. A. (NLA). 1974. NHER TG 2304K (NLA 1/AAV42) 07-JUN-1974.
<S6>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1974. NHER TG 2204M-P (NLA 1/AAV46-8) 07-JUN-1974.
<S7>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1974. NHER TG 2204Qa-b (NLA 1/SLIDE) 07-JUN-1974.
<S8>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1974. NHER TG 2204X (NLA 2/AAW21) 14-JUN-1974.
<S9>Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1974. CUCAP (BQF19) 02-JUL-1974.
<S10>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1992. OS/92336 146-7 11-JUN-1992 (NMR).
<S11>Monograph: Ashwin, T.. 2000. Norwich Southern Bypass Project.. East Anglian Archaeology. Vol 91 & 92.

Related records

9794Part of: Multi-period site at Harford Farm (Monument)
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