Record Details

NHER Number:50976
Type of record:Monument
Name:Cropmarks of Billingford Roman town

Summary

This record contains details of the cropmarks relating to the Roman town of Billingford (NHER 7206). The cropmarks have been allocated a new number due to the complexity of the existing NHER 7206 record, which deals with over seventy years of field walking, metal detecting and excavation and the find and excavation results span from the prehistoric period to the post medieval. The cropmarks recorded under this number (50976) have been separated out as they are felt to represent a single phase, or several phases, of Roman settlement. Cropmarks interpreted as relating to later activity at the site have been recorded under NHER 50910-1, 50977). However it is possible that the seemingly later boundaries and enclosures recorded under NHER 50910-1 could in fact also have Roman origins, as some of the features follow the projected alignment of the Roman road (NHER 2796) alongside which the town developed. It therefore remains a possibility that some of the cropmarks recorded under this number as Roman may in fact pre-date the Roman town.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 00903 20020
Map Sheet:TG02SW
Parish:BILLINGFORD, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

April 2008. Norfolk NMP.
This record contains details of the cropmarks visible on aerial photographs (S1-S10) relating to the Roman town of Billingford (NHER 7206). The cropmarks have been allocated a new number due to the complexity of the existing 7206 record, which deals with over seventy years of field walking, metal detecting and excavation and the finds and excavation results span from the prehistoric period to the post medieval. The cropmarks recorded under this number (50976) have been separated out as they are felt to represent a single or several phases of Roman settlement. Cropmarks interpreted as relating to later activity at the site have been recorded under NHER 50910-1, 50977). The site is centred on TG 0092 2002.

Across the site as a whole the Roman town offered few instances where the cropmark conditions were favourable, with several areas of cropmarks derived from differential soil depths across the site obscuring potential archaeological features, in particular to the south of the Elmham Road. The clearest aerial photographs of the site were those taken of the open area archaeological excavation itself with the stripped surface of the field clearly showing the sub-surface ditches and pits. None of these stripped features were mapped and only actual cropmarks were transcribed. Comparison of the excavation plan and the resultant cropmark mapping clearly reveals that the cropmarks only revealed a fraction of the sub-surface features. In many cases this was due to the geologically derived cropmarks obscuring those of archaeological features that were evidently present. The NMP mapping did however reveal some features additional to those revealed during the excavation. Some of these cropmarks were mapped from photography dating to 1980 (S4) and it therefore possible that these were relatively shallow features that have been truncated by the plough in subsequent years 11 year prior to the excavation. The excavation report for the site indicates that the site had suffered heavy truncation (S11, 1). However the same explanation cannot realistically be put forward those features recorded from photography from 1989 (S8), only two years before the excavation. It is possible that clear indication of these features were removed during the machine stripping of the site, or that they were indistinguishable from the surrounding sub-soil or that on closer examination they were felt to be of natural origin. Many of the additional cropmarks appear to follow the predominant alignment of the excavated enclosures and fields so it seems plausible that they do represent broadly contemporary archaeological features not detected or existing at the time of excavation.

The Roman town is located at the river crossing of the main east-west road from Brampton To Denver (NHER 2796) and the point at which a road heads northwest to Toftrees (NHER 11358) (Wade-Martins, 1977). It appears to be generally assumed that Roman road (NHER 2796) continued straight to the river (see route marked on NHER map) (Wade-Martins 1977, Wallis 2005). The fact that this would line up with a straight section of parish boundary to the immediate west of the river and the suggested route of the road southwest through Worthing, would make this interpretation seem highly plausible. The aerial photographs also provided no clear evidence of the road continuing along its projected course, despite this previously having been identified on St Joseph aerial photographs, presumably (S2). This line was previously recorded as having been visible as a low earthwork on the ground (NHER 7206), but no evidence of this could be identified on the aerial photographs. The only road-like features visible on the aerial photographs were a number of broad ditches located to the south of the modern road. One pair of ditches, both around 3m across and 10m apart, can be identified for 60m (S7). These do not follow the projected alignment of the road (2796), although it is feasible that they relate the road that runs from this point to the northwest towards Toftrees (NHER 11358). Another arrangement of broad ditches, combined with a parched or compacted linears, are visible which do broadly follow the expected alignment of the 2796 road, located 40m to the north of the projected route. Although these ditches would appear exhibit possible corners features and are more likely to represent a small enclosure or similar feature. Although it is possible, given the accompanying parchmarks, that they relate to a former structure or structures.

Even given the poor cropmark formation at the site, some enclosures following the projected line of the Roman road would have been expected. This would suggest that the road does not follow the previously assumed route as closely as might have been previously thought. However reference to the post medieval map of c. 1700-25 (S12) of these fields indicate a field boundary that runs along part of the expected route of the road. This map also indicates a strip fields running either parallel or perpendicular to this route. This would therefore suggest a possible continuation of a landscape feature running along this route, perhaps relating to the earthwork that has previously been recorded at this site. However no evidence of any such feature could confidently be identified on the available aerial photographs. Previous aerial photograph transcription undertaken by a consultant as part of the NAU Archaeology assessment of the site, also identified no traces of the route of the Roman road to the south of the modern road.

To the north of the modern road and in the area identified as the main focus of the town (as indicated by metal detecting), a series of enclosures and field boundaries following the same alignment as the surrounding post medieval landscape are clearly visible on the aerial photographs (NHER 50910) and it is assumed that these are the enclosures previously interpreted as the Roman town. The cropmarks mapped are particularly fragmentary and extremely ephemeral in places. The general layout of these fields is depicted on historic maps, the earliest dating to 1700–1725 (S12). Although it remains a possibility that some of the boundaries in use during the medieval to post medieval period were in fact Roman in origin, or that they followed a similar alignment to those constructed during the Roman period. Some, although not all, of the boundaries follow the alignment of the Roman road. If these medieval to post medieval fields reveal the layout of the Roman town then, there apparent lack of continuity in orientation and plan with those excavated Roman fields and enclosures to the south is extremely interesting.

Seemingly underlying these regular field boundaries is a series of extremely fragmentary boundary ditches and possible enclosures. These follow a different alignment to those recorded under NHER 50910 and are broadly aligned NW-SE or SW-NE. These fragmentary cropmarks follow the same alignment as the excavated Roman fields and enclosures to the south (NHER 7206) and it could be suggested that these are broadly contemporary. Another group of enclosures and tracks recorded to the south of Billingford Hall (NHER 19652), also interpreted as being of probable Roman date, also follow this same broad alignment. Some of these fragmentary ditches to the south of the modern road would be cut by the previously assumed route of the Roman road through the southern field. Two possible enclosures may be identified to the north of the modern road at TG 0074 2033 (S6) and TG 0103 2025 (S1), and another to the south at TG 0794 2012 (S6). It is possible given the fragmentary nature of some of these cropmarks (S7-S9) that some relate to underlying geological features. There also remains the possibility that the fragmentary cropmarks underlying the more regular fields and enclosures are pre-Roman in date. The excavation to the south of this area revealed only sparse evidence of pre-Roman activity (S11), although it is possible that the earlier activity was concentrated to the north of the excavated area. Metal detecting and fieldwalking of the site has revealed a number of Iron Age artefacts, including coins and pottery (see NHER 7206 for details). It is therefore feasible that the fragmentary trackways, ditched boundaries and enclosures are Iron Age in date, although the fact that they follow the alignment of the excavated Roman enclosures and fields to the south would suggest that are likely to also be Roman in date. It is possible that this northern part of the town was aligned alongside the Toftrees Roman road (NHER 11358) and not NHER 2796, although again the exact route of the southeastern end of this road is also not known for certain (S13).

The NMP mapping has extended the known extent of the Roman settlement and fields down towards the River Wensum to the south and to the former site of a Roman bridge (NHER 2984). A Roman date road, running southwest from the main east-west road (NHER 2796), through an area of enclosures and fields, excavated by the NAU in 1991 (ENF11376), was identified on the aerial photographs and its route continued down towards the contemporary bridge crossing. Of potential great significance is the fact that aerial photographs from 1992 (S10) revealed this road, and other associated boundary ditches, as possible low earthworks and vegetational marks within the river meadow. This would strongly suggest that these Roman features are still extant to a degree and the wetter conditions of the river floor environment may offer an opportunity for good preservation of deposits and organic remains, similar to the timbers recovered from the actual bridge site (see NHER 2984 for details).

The NMP mapping has unfortunately done little to improve understanding of the Roman town to the north of the previously excavated area. On the contrary it has raised more questions than answered. The route of the Roman road is still not known and the previously assumed route is potentially under question. The layout and orientation of the town itself is also unclear. The fragmentary cropmarks, following the alignment of the excavated fields, could represent the ‘town’ itself and if so, this would potentially indicate a different developmental history to the site and draw its previously assumed relationship with the Roman road network into question. However it is also possible that these pre-date the town, which may be represented by the more regular medieval and post medieval field boundaries recorded under NHER 50910.
Also see (S14)
S. Massey (NMP), 24 April 2008.

Monument Types

  • BOUNDARY DITCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD?)
  • ENCLOSURE (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD?)
  • SETTLEMENT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD?)
  • TRACKWAY (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD?)
  • BOUNDARY DITCH (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FIELD BOUNDARY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FIELD SYSTEM (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • PIT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SETTLEMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TOWN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TRACKWAY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Scheduled Monument
  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

<S1>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Various. Various. Oblique Aerial Photography from the Historic England Archive. NMR TG0120/26 (RAF 541/259 0007) 01-JUN-1049.
<S2>Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1959. CUCAP (ZP74-5) 04-JUL-1959.
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1963. RAF 58/5842 (F21) 0054-5 23-JUL-1963 (NMR).
<S4>Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1980. CUCAP (CMP3) 11-JUL-1980 (NHER TG 0119D).
<S5>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1980. NHER TG 0020U (NLA 96/APZ4) 15-JUL-1980.
<S6>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1989. NHER TG 0020ABD (NLA 224/DJ6) 16-JUN-1989.
<S7>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1989. NHER TG 0020ABF (NLA 224/DJD8) 16-JUN-1989.
<S8>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1989. NHER TG 0020ABG (NLA 224/DJD9) 16-JUN-1989.
<S9>Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1991. NHER TG 0020W (NLA 292/GHA5) 22-JUL-1991.
<S10>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1992. OS/92337 274-5 11-JUN-1992.
<S11>Unpublished Report: Wallis, H. 2005. Romano-British and Saxon Occupation at Billingford, central Norfolk. Excavation (1991-2 and 1997) and Watching Brief (1995-2002). Publication draft.
<S12>Map: Unattributed. 1700-25. Map of the Manor of Billingford..
<S13>Article in Monograph: Wade-Martins, P.. 1977. A Roman Road between Billingford and Toftrees.. East Anglian Archaeology. No 5 pp 1-2.
<S14>Article in Serial: Horlock, S., Albone, J. and Tremlett, S. 2008. The Archaeology of Norfolk's Aggregate Landscape: Results of the National Mapping Programme. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLV Pt III pp 337-348.

Related records

7206Part of: Site of Roman settlement and cemetery, Early Saxon buildings and Middle Saxon metalworking (Monument)
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