Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

April 2002. Norfolk NMP.
Extensive system of drainage ditches along the Heacham river valley. These mainly consist of ditches running parallel to the river, following the contours. These have another series of drains that are perpendicular to this, leading back into the river. The watercourse, now dry, running from TF 6847 3751 to TF 6883 3747, may represent an earlier course of the river. To the south of this from TF 6851 3748 to TF 6883 3747 is an embankment running alongside the northern bank of the river. This may relate to channelling water into the Caley Mill site at TF6851 3747 (NHER 13131). The area to the north of these features, centred on TF 6873 3766, is a series of channel both parallel and perpendicular to the main river. This area was the site of another mill (NHER 16297), so the arrangement of channels would relate to powering of the mill. The site NHER 16297 has also produced a massive spread of material ranging from the Iron Age through to post medieval. Site NHER 1468 also within this area is the remains of a medieval house. These finds and excavated features suggest that much was going on in this area and that the cropmarks and earthworks visible may not be showing the whole picture.
Another area of linear features can be seen to the west at TF 6829 3774. These appear to be part of the same system of water management. At TF 6890 3751 an aqueduct carries the present course of the river water over these other water channels, marked on 2nd ed map (6” 1902-7) (S5), and feeds it towards the Caley mill. The northern end of this aqueduct forms a wedge shaped, embanked pond, 170m long by 15m. To the north of this area is site NHER 1446, a possible medieval chapel site, however, no traces were noted in the cropmarks/earthworks.
At TF 6926 3734 are a series of banks, either side of the channel. These appear to have been cut through by the drains. The largest is 60m long and 5m across. It is not clear whether these banks relate to any of the water management features. To the south of this, centred on TF 6983 3716, are several linear and curvilinear features, either side of the river. To the west, the northern ditch leads into a sub-rectangular hollow at TF 6930 3718, 19m by 12m. The 100m long ditch to the west may continue the line of this ditch. The linear to the south, which is 320m long may be also be a continuation of the southern channel. These features are likely to be part of this drainage system leading into the river valley. This southern channel appears to be embanked to the north in-between the road and the river.
To the northeast of these features is SMR 26836, a circular mound, which may be the site of a medieval mill. To the south of this a wide ditch or hollow, 4m across, curves around along the parish boundary. To the south of this a bank can be seen to run along the contour higher up the valley, from TF 6941 3715 to TF 6944 3685.
Further along the valley to the south, a bank has been constructed across the valley floor at TF 6951 3664, either side of the river. Beyond this bank the nature of the water channels created changes. Running from 6948 3661 to TF 3974 3639 is a 11m wide channel alongside the river, again this has perpendicular ditches/drains running back to the main watercourse. The northern end of this channel turns towards the river and forms a rectangular trough, 50m by 15m. To the east, on the opposing side of the river, is another sub-rectangular sunken area at TF 6955 3661, again approximately 50m by 15m.
These drains, ditches and water channels are possibly the remnants of a system of water meadow along the side of the river valleys. Although at least three mills are recorded as being situated along this stretch of the river, so much of the water management may relate to supply for millraces. Either way these features are likely to be medieval to post medieval in date.
Floated water meadows are mentioned as existing in 1810 in Heacham, although it is not clear if these are the system referred to. A further two possible sets of water meadows are located near to the Heacham Harbour on the coast (NHER 33387 and NHER 26837). According to (S6) most examples in Norfolk are thought to date from 1795 to 1815.
S. Massey (NMP), 26 April 2002.

July 2016. Earthwork Survey.
Analytical earthwork survey of proposed development site to south of St Mary’s Close.
Of the various features recorded at this location only two appeared to be associated with extant earthworks – a pair of adjacent north-north-east to south-south west aligned ditches at TF 6826 3776. The only notable additional earthwork recorded was a north-west to south-east aligned hollow in the western half of the site. Documentary research indicates this feature is likely to correspond with the line of curving former lane depicted on a map of 1592. The line of this road appears to also coincide with a number of the previously recorded east-to-west aligned features to the east (at TF 6830 3772).
See report (S7) and NHER 66672 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 February 2023.

April 2017. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site to south of St Mary’s Close.
The ten trenches excavated were positioned to target all of the previously recorded earthwork features at this location. The three parallel north-north-east to south-south-west aligned features all coincided with ditches containing ceramic drain pipes, indicating that they had been actively maintained drainage features until relatively recently. These ditches had though clearly been recut on a number of occasions. These earlier cuts were mostly undated although a similarly aligned ditch close to one of the earthwork features did produce a small quantity of medieval pottery.
The north-west to south-east aligned hollow in the western half of the site was shown to coincide with a broad, largely infilled, flat-based feature which was almost certainly a hollow way associated with the lane shown on the late 16th-century map of Heacham. Unfortunately no secure dating evidence was recovered that could indicate when this routeway was first created. Possible traces of this lane were also potentially identified in the eastern half of the site, where its line appears to coincide with a pair of parallel features visible on aerial photographs. One of these previously recorded earthworks was shown to correspond with a substantial ditch, the fills of which produced a range of late post-medieval objects including pottery, roof tiles and bottle glass.
See report (S8) and NHER 66672 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 February 2023.

Monument Types

• BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• DITCH (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• DRAINAGE SYSTEM (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• MILL RACE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• WATER MEADOW (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• WATERCOURSE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Heacham (Parish Summary)