Record Details

NHER Number:36729
Type of record:Monument
Name:Enclosures and fields of probable pre-Roman date

Summary

1996 aerial photography showed the cropmarks of rectangular enclosures and fields and a series of enigmatic north to south aligned linear features, likely to represent a prehistoric boundary. Excavations examining the Roman road (NHER 2796) and the linear boundary features in 2003 and 2005 established that these features pre-date the road (See NHER 62129). A pre-Roman date for the enclosures and fields is also likely.
An assessment of the aerial photographs for the area of Coltishall Airfield to the west of this site revealed further field boundaries to the west following a similar alignment to the enclosures and fields recorded under this number. These were recorded under NHER 57991 and were interpreted as representing part of an extensive co-axial field system of possible Bronze Age to Iron Age or Roman date to the immediate northwest.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 2767 2379
Map Sheet:TG22SE
Parish:SCOTTOW, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

18 July 1996. NLA air photography.
An almost square enclosure with rounded corners and possible entrance in the south side. The enclosure is not on alignment with the nearby road alleged to be Roman (NHER 2796). It may be a Roman temporary camp or possibly a medieval enclosure. Additional enclosures or annexes on the same alignment are visible to the southwest.
To the immediate west is an enigmatic series of north to south aligned linear features. These may be a geological phenomenon, but certainly appear as excavated ditches. They run, parallel, in a relatively straight line (there are four to five features) and then appear to curve to the west and end. They also appear to be truncated by the alleged Roman road. Their age and purpose are unknown.
See (S1).
M. Brennand (NLA), 3 December 2001.

2003. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of the Roman road, enclosures, fields and multiple-ditch boundary of potential prehistoric date were mapped from aerial photographs to aid the planned fieldwork by NAHRG. See secondary file for cropmark plot.
The trial trenching and geophysical survey undertaken between 2003 and 2005 confirmed the line of the Roman road (NHER 2796) and that the linear features pre-date it. This work, previously recorded here, is now recorded under NHER 62129.
S. Massey (NMP), March 2003. Amended by A. Beckham (HES), 12 May 2017.

August 2012.
An assessment of the aerial photographs for the area of Coltishall Airfield to the west of this site revealed further field boundaries to the west following a similar alignment to the enclosures and fields recorded under this number. These were recorded under NHER 57991 and were interpreted as representing part of an extensive co-axial field system of possible Bronze Age to Iron Age or Roman date to the immediate northwest. This field system has previously been recorded as being of Roman date, however it must be noted that it exhibits many similarities with the plan of the Nova Scotia Farm co-axial field system at Ormesby which has been proven by excavation to have its origins in the Middle Bronze Age (NHER 12828), although it is not clear how much of it is of this date. Some components may be Iron Age in date. It seems likely that the enclosure and fields recorded under this number and the co-axial fields (NHER 57991) are of a comparable date. Given the lack of Roman material recovered within the excavated part of the enclosure (Area B) (NHER 62129), the presence of prehistoric flints in this area (S2) (NHER 62129), and the fact that the Roman road (NHER 2796) cuts across the enclosure and fields, a pre-Roman date must also be assumed for these cropmarks.
No further components of the prehistoric multiple-ditched boundary were identified on the aerial photographs to the west, where it appears to curve around to the west towards the northern part of the airfield. Although this may be due to the land use not being conducive to cropmark formation.
S. Horlock (HES), 30 August 2012.

Monument Types

  • LINEAR FEATURE (Unknown date)
  • PIT (Unknown date)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
  • BOUNDARY DITCH (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2350 BC to 42 AD?)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2350 BC to 42 AD?)
  • MULTIPLE DITCH SYSTEM (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2350 BC to 42 AD?)
  • PIT (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2350 BC to 42 AD?)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age to Late Iron Age - 2350 BC to 42 AD?)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. NHER TG 2723A-R (NLA 371/HSH9-15, HSJ1-3) 18-JUL-1996.
<S2>Unpublished Report: Sims, J. 2006. Excavation at Scottow 2003 & 2005.

Related records

2796Related to: Fen Causeway Roman road (Monument)

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