Record Details

NHER Number:9687
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of earthwork 'entrenchment' of unknown date

Summary

An 'entrenchment' is shown on a map of Mousehold Heath of 1585. There is now no visible sign of any earthworks on the site, although it is possible that a linear ditch feature with associated bank (NHER 51918), situated 370m to the north of the mapped position of NHER 9687, may relate to part of the entrenchment.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 271 111
Map Sheet:TG21SE
Parish:GREAT AND LITTLE PLUMSTEAD, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
SPROWSTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK
THORPE ST ANDREW, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

'Entrenchment' marked around Gidding Heath on (S1), copy in (S2).
No trace on ground or on aerial photographs.
R. R. Clarke (NCM)

Clarke's marking on (S3) corrected, firstly by A. Gregory (NAU) enlarging copy of (S1) in (S2) to same scale as (S3); then further by E. B. Green (NCM) and E. Rose (NAU) checking against original, showing that copy of (S1) in (S2) is defective in position of entrances etc. However it is still very difficult to plot the exact location owing to odd scale of original.
E. Rose (NAU) 19 April 1985.

For former NHER 9687/context 1 see NHER 21259.

(S4) quotes (S5) as saying that in 1587 the Privy Council proposed that a fortified camp be set up on Mousehold Heath. However (S5) actually says that the men should assemble on Mountsurrey with no mention of fortifications. Mountsurrey was the name given to the area now known as Gas Hill so it seems improbable there is any connection with site NHER 9687 or NHER 9688.
E. Rose (NLA) 5 November 1998.

November 2008. Norfolk NMP.
A linear ditch feature with associated bank is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (S6). The cropmark runs diagonally northwest-southeast from TG 2738 1165 to TG 2781 1161, 370m to the north of the mapped position of NHER 9687. It is therefore unclear whether this feature represents part of the entrenchment, but it may be contemporary with it.
E. Bales (NMP), 17 November 2008.

July 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of land to north of Salhouse Road at TG 2670 1158.
Although the suggested line of the entrenchment passes through the area examined there was no evidence to associated remains. It was though noted that the site had potentially sustained heavy plough truncation, with only a thin topsoil deposit present and numerous plough scars visible on the surface of the natural geology.
See report (S7) and NHER 64841 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 April 2021.

March 2018. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of land north of Salhouse Road at TG 2682 1163 (adjacent to area evaluated in 2015).
There was again no evidence for sub-surface remains associated with the entrenchment.
See NHER 64841 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 April 2021.

Monument Types

  • DITCH (Unknown date)
  • EARTHWORK? (Unknown date)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Miscellaneous. Plumstead, Great and Little/Thorpe St Andrew/Rackheath/Sprowston.
<S1>Map: 1589. Mousehold Heath.
<S2>Article in Serial: Rye, W. 1907. Earthworks at Mousehold Heath. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XVI p 91.
<S3>Map: NCM. NCM Record Map.
<S4>Publication: Kent, P. 1988. Fortifications of East Anglia. p 177.
<S5>Article in Serial: O'Neil, B. H. St.J. 1940. The Fortification of Weybourne Hope in 1588. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXVII Pt II pp 250-262. p 252.
<S6>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Meridian Airmaps Limited. 1976. MAL 76053 92 29-JUN-1976 (NMR).
<S7>Unpublished Contractor Report: Corke, S. 2016. Land North of Salhouse Road, Sprowston, Norfolk: An Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation. Pre-Construct Archaeology. R12559.

Related records

51918Parent of: Site of possible medieval to post medieval linear ditch feature with associated bank (Monument)

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