Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

6 July 1977. NAU air photography.
Cropmarks of a series of overlapping square and rectangular enclosures with a very small ring ditch within one at TM 4741 9398.
The complex has the overall appearance of a Roman settlement and is not dissimilar to that at Hasingham.
See (S1) and (S2).
D. Edwards, (NAU) 10 April 1980 and E. Rose, (NAU) 14 April 1980.

2 July 1996. NLA air photography.
Elements of Roman settlement visible, such as trackways and enclosures.
Also to north of main area of cropmarks an irregular sub-circular enclosure can be seen, bisected by a relatively modern (but removed) field boundary. There appears to be internal anomalies, possibly pits.
S. Massey (NLA), 26 July 2001.

THE CENTRAL GRID REFERENCE FOR THE SITE HAS BEEN ALTERED FROM TM 4755 9390 TO TM 4754 9384.

July 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a probable Roman settlement are visible on aerial photographs as a series of enclosures and fields (S3-S7). The site is centred on TM 4754 9384. The site consists of a group of conjoined rectangular and square enclosures defined by ditches and trackways. One main group of enclosures, centred on TM 4744 9392, would appear to have been used for domestic purposes, whilst others located to the east may have been for stock and agricultural activities. No associated Roman finds have been recorded for this site, however the appearance of the cropmarks would suggest this date. Another group of regularly arranged fields and enclosures following the same alignment have been mapped 450m to the east (NHER 44880). It therefore seems possible that the two sites are contemporary and were possibly originally continuous or at least associated. A trackway toward the eastern end of 16005 may possibly continue into the area defined as 44880.

The main area of conjoined enclosures and fields covers an area 490m by 315m, additional fragmentary ditches following the same alignment are also visible around the periphery of the site, suggesting that the site or at least some of the boundary ditches continued outside of this core area. The main enclosure is centred on TM 4746 9392 and is rectangular, measuring 96m by 72m. Conjoined to the west and south of this are a series of smaller rectangular enclosures varying in size from 20m by 30m to 40m². This main block of enclosures measures 150m by 130m. Double ditched boundaries or trackways run in-between some of these enclosures, these are likely to have provided access to the internal sections of the settlement. These western enclosures exhibit the highest level of planning and organisation across the site and would appear to be the focus of the site. The cropmarks of the enclosures continue to the east of this main group, although they are less well-defined and regular, although this may be reflective of gradual development or alteration over time.

The cropmarks also reveal that the internal space within of the more regular western enclosures has been subdivided with additional ditches. In some cases the areas being defined are quite small, only 5m across at TM 4743 9394 and TM 4746 9390. At TM 4743 9400 and TM 4743 9386 are two sub-rectangular ditched areas, 12m by 9m and 10m by at least 9m respectively. The presence of these internal subdivisions within the larger enclosures suggests that specific activities are probably taking place inside, this may be domestic or even industrial. The relative lack of this sort of internal subdivision within the eastern part of the site may indicate that these enclosures were possibly used for agricultural or stock rearing purposes. Although it may also be reflective of the poorer cropmark response in these areas, as the cropmarks were much clearer in the areas where internal features were noted. One smaller enclosed area was identified within the eastern enclosures, at TM 4759 9379, measuring 23m by 14m (S4, S6).

At TM 4740 9398 is a small ring ditch, 3.5m in diameter (S4, S7). This is feature is located in the corner of one of the main enclosures and a ring ditch in this position within a settlement context would normally be interpreted as the eavesdrip gully of a round house associated with the occupation. However the extremely small size of the ring ditch would suggest that this is probably not a roundhouse. It may be the remains of an agricultural structure, such as a stackstand. Ring ditches of this side can be indicative of Anglo-Saxon barrows placed over individual inhumations (S8). Although given the location within this Roman settlement or farmstead context, a contemporary date and function seems most likely.

The cropmarks would suggest that the site has more than one phase of boundary construction and this may indicate a change in use or reorganisation of the site, as some of the ditches, in particular those to the east, follow a slightly different orientation. This suggests gradual change over time, with an initial planned phase of the settlement gradually being altered and further subdivided. Some of these boundaries appear to be aligned the same as some components of the post medieval landscape. The cropmarks and soilmarks of medieval to post medieval field boundary bank running across the top of the enclosures (NHER 44877), also appears to be aligned the same of the main enclosures. It is therefore possible that some components of the Roman landscape, such as field boundaries, stayed in active use for long enough to influence the more recent landscape. Towards the eastern end of the site (centred on TM 4774 9363), it becomes increasingly hard to distinguish between the Roman and post medieval ditches, in particular at around TM 4757 9368 where the alignments of the two possible phases become very similar. Also the trackway running from TM 4784 9364 to TM 4799 9360 follows a very similar course to the pillbox boundary bank to the south (NHER 44877). This trackway possibly joins up with another fragment of double ditched to the east at TM 4813 9354, recorded under NHER 44880. Excavation work would be needed to securely phase and date the ditches in this area, although again it may suggest that the Roman landscape had a continuing affect on the medieval and post medieval layout.

These regular Roman enclosures and fields are either overlain by or overlie a series of fragmentary linear ditches and a trackway (NHER 44875), which follow a slightly different alignment. It seems most likely that the Roman fields are later than these more irregular and fragmentary ditches, which are possibly late prehistoric to Iron Age in date. A large ring ditch is also located within the extent of the Roman settlement (NHER 16004) and this is likely to be the remains of a Bronze Age round barrow. The size of the ring ditch, 30m diameter, and the fact that it appears to sit in the path of two Roman ditches, would suggest that it is not a round house associated with the settlement.
S. Massey (NMP), 24 July 2006.

Monument Types

• PIT (Unknown date)
• RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• SQUARE ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• FARMSTEAD? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• RING DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• ROUND HOUSE (DOMESTIC)? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• SETTLEMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• SETTLEMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• SITE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• SQUARE ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• STOCK ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• TRACKWAY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Burgh St Peter (Parish Summary)