Record Details

NHER Number:36358
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of multi-period rectilinear ditches and enclosures

Summary

A group of rectilinear ditches is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. Their date and function is not known, but the varying orientations visible indicates that more than one phase of activity is represented. Parts of one or more enclosures can be identified, one of which has been interpreted as a possible Roman temporary camp.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TM 3688 9951
Map Sheet:TM39NE
Parish:CHEDGRAVE, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

2 August 1995. NLA air photography (S1).
Cropmark site of at least two phases.
A large rectangular enclosure with a central entrance and 'playing card' shape is visible. It is likely this is a Roman marching/temporary camp. Overlapping with this feature is a complex of enclosures, linears and pit-like features, which also appear multi-phase. The enclosure has some typological similarity to Late Iron Age evidence, although this does bring into question the relationship between these features and the Roman camp. It seems likely that the enclosures and pits are later, possibly later in the Roman period, or even much later, i.e. medieval features. The palimpsest nature of the enclosures makes assigning a date complicated.
S. Massey (NLA), 6 August 2001.

July 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks described above are visible on aerial photographs (S2)-(S3), centred at TM 3688 9952. It is clear from the variety of orientations evident amongst the cropmarks that several phases of activity are probably represented, but the date and function of particular elements is uncertain. Parts of one or more enclosures can be identified, the largest of which, visible across the northern part of the site, is the possible Roman temporary camp described above. (Its projected northeast and northwest corners are at TM 3696 9960 and TM 3681 9959 respectively.) Although it might have possessed rounded, ‘playing card’ corners, these are not clearly visible and its identification as a Roman military camp is difficult to confirm. It is also relatively insubstantial, in terms of the width of its ditch, when compared with other possible military sites of that date (compare NHER 45242 for example). The numerous pit-like cropmarks visible are of uncertain archaeological significance and consequently have not been mapped.

It should be noted that rectification of the oblique aerial photographs of the site was poor, and this may have had an adverse effect on the accuracy of the mapping.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 20 July 2007.

Monument Types

  • ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Unknown date)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
  • ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TEMPORARY CAMP? (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

<S1>Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. TM 3699F-J.
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: BKS. 1988. BKS 9018-9 06-AUG-1988 (NCC 2198-9).
<S3>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1995. NHER TM 3699G-J (NLA 356/HEP1-2) 02-AUG-1995.

Related records - none

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