Record Details
| NHER Number: | 7446 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Devil's Ditch |
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Summary
A horseshoe-shaped earthwork was marked at this location on 19th century documents and maps. It has been suggested that this might have been part of a Roman military camp on the basis the bank here was artificial. However, the bank is in fact a natural feature and as such there is no evidence to suggest a Roman date.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 3467 2516 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG32NW |
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| Parish: | STALHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
1st edition 1in Ordnance Survey 1836 marks here 'Devil's Ditch', a horseshoe-shaped earthwork.
Later Ordnance Survey also mark the site of a 'Roman Camp' nearby (at TG 3470 2513) - later deleted by R. R. Clarke (NCM), no evidence. It curved around the 50ft contour.
No trace now: gravel pits here have cut into scarp of hill, and are themselves overgrown. The isolated 50ft contour ring on map is a gravel knoll, quarried out in centre. Hill commands wide views and may once have been an island.
Visited by E. Rose (NAU) and P. Lawrance (NAU) 14 January 1976.
Cutting in NCM Bolingbroke Collection says the Devil's Ditch was only a ditch with no bank, and questions whether it was ever anything but natural. It says the Roman attribution was given because the knoll was thought to be artificial, but is entirely natural.
E. Rose (NAU).
Monument Types
- DITCH (Unknown date)
- EARTHWORK (Unknown date)
- MILITARY CAMP (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 32 NW 15; TG 32 NW 16. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Neolithic. Stalham. |
Related records - none
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