Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

December 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A series of cropmark enclosures and linear features are visible on aerial photographs to the west of Toll’s Hill, Northrepps (S1). The date of these cropmarks of unknown and may represent a palimpsest of ditches from several periods. Finds of a medieval to post medieval date have been found on the site (NHER 38828), although it is not thought that these directly relate to the cropmarks on morphological grounds. Cropmarks mapped from the same field (NHER 38811) have been separated from these features due to a differing alignment and therefore potential different date or phase. Swathes of settlement and fields of Roman date are located to the immediate southwest (NHER 38808). These are also overlain by several other phases of field systems, at least one of which appears to be post medieval in date (NHER 38807).

The site is centred on TG 2413 4014, although the main components of the site are located to the west around TG 2405 4012. This consists of an area of rectilinear enclosures and co-axial linear feature with possible associated pits. Although given the geological background of sands and gravels it is entirely possible that these ‘pits’ are actually natural pockets of deeper soil formation formed on the uneven surface of the underlying gravel. However given that these features are within an area of enclosures then the possibility must remain that they are man made. The enclosures and linears create quite a highly subdivided area and this may be indicative of a site relating to settlement as opposed to a field system, although some of the enclosed areas may have acted as paddocks or stock enclosures. Medieval to post medieval finds have been recovered from this field (NHER 38828) although the morphology of these cropmarks would not normally suggest an interpretation of that date. The finds may more likely relate to the suggested beacon site on the hill (NHER 13147).

Two roughly parallel cropmark linears run across this group of rectilinear features and have been recorded separately (NHER 38811). Due to the difference in alignment it would appear that this area of rectilinear enclosures is of a different phase to the two larger linears. Although this is not certain as some of the rectilinear elements appear to stop at or abut up to the more irregular linear feature. However this may relate to the survival of the underlying subsurface feature, which may have been badly damaged by the construction of later elements. These larger parallel linears appeared to form part of a possible coaxial field system, which has a shared alignment with a more extensive system to the south west (NHER 38808). This system has tentatively been dated to the Roman period. This therefore could indicate that the rectilinear enclosures and linears grouped under this record are not Roman in date. However the morphology of the subdivided rectilinear ditched enclosures would easily fit into this period. It is possible then that they are earlier, possibly having Iron Age origins.

At TG 2420 4023 is a further group of fragmentary linear ditches, which appear to share the same general alignment as the main part of the site. Also to the north of the main cropmarks, centred on TG 2404 4026, is a broad ditched feature which may represent part of an enclosure, although this is not certain as only part of the feature is visible. This area of cropmarks could potentially represent a separate phase of activity in the field, although its alignment is not radically different from the rest of the site and therefore may be related features.
(S1)
S. Massey (NMP), 16 December 2004.

Monument Types

• DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• FARMSTEAD? (Unknown date)
• PIT? (Unknown date)
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• SETTLEMENT? (Unknown date)
• DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• FARMSTEAD? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• PIT? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• SETTLEMENT? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• STOCK ENCLOSURE? (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Northrepps (Parish Summary)