View a printer friendly version of this page

Record Details

NHER Number:1289
Type of record:Monument
Name:The Peddar's Way

Summary

A Roman road, visible as an earthwork and cropmark on aerial photographs. Some sections of the road are open to the public as a long distance footpath. The road enters Norfolk at Brettenham, where a possible stretch visible on aerial photographs has been recorded as NHER 54566, and follows a very direct line with only a slight bend at Hockham to the north Norfolk coast at Holme next the Sea, where its original destination has probably been lost through erosion. There may have been a ferry crossing to Lincolnshire, near Skegness. It is likely to be early Roman in date, and was probably of military origin.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 82298 12448
Map Sheet:TF81SW
Parish:ASHILL, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
BRETTENHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
BRIDGHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
CASTLE ACRE, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
DERSINGHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
FLITCHAM WITH APPLETON, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
FRING, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
GREAT MASSINGHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
HARLING, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
HARPLEY, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
HOLME NEXT THE SEA, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
LITTLE CRESSINGHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
MERTON, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
ROUDHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK
SEDGEFORD, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Roman Road.

See file for details of remains and course, and pot and human remains found 'on the Peddars Way', photographs and press cuttings.

Scheduled fragment of ditch at Tottington, TL 9115 9510 only, context 9.
Schedule in file.

1926. Stray Find.
"Found on the Peddars Way".
Roman pot in poorly fired grey fabric, light grey slip inside with wheel marks. Outside, much scarred and worn, may also have been coated with slip. Around neck a band of ?rouletted decoration badly worn. See drawing (S9).
Donated to King's Lynn Museum (KILLM : 1977.43).
Information from annotations on drawing and museum records. Exact provenance remains uncertain.
P. Watkins (HES), 18 February 2018.

February 1998. Walkover Survey.
Rapid Earthwork Identification Survey (Compartment 2059).
Bank noted at TL 9375 8552.
See report (S8) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 August 2015.

April 2002. Norfolk NMP.
(The following refers to cropmarks within quarter sheets TF 74 NW and SW).
The first clear stretch of cropmark, that seems to be some form of track/bank, is visible on BKS 1987-8 aerial photographs (S1-2) and OS 1972 aerial photograph (S3). (It can also be determined on RAF 1946 aerial photographs (S5)). This is within Ringstead Parish. It appears to lie on the probable route of the Peddars Way, and it is therefore likely to be the remains of this Roman road. This cropmark runs north west to south east (from TF7085 4078 to TF7066 4112) curving slightly at its northernmost end.
Directly to the north of this cropmark (still within Ringstead) are some houses, and it is possible that the cropmark continues to the northwest of these buildings, but this is not clear (see 1972 OS aerial photograph (S4)). Likewise the cropmark may also continue southwards towards the corner of the field at TF70889 4065, but again this is unclear (S3).
In addition to all this there appears to be yet another stretch of bank/trackway slightly further north within the parish of Holme Next the Sea (recorded under NHER 26906). This is located between TF7018 4245 and TF7029 4211, which is between two of the routes for the Peddars Way. This could be a third possibility. There also appear to be slight ditches along each side. (see 1972 OS aerial photograph (S4)). It is possible that this is actually an old field boundary, but there is nothing marked as such on the 2nd edition OS map (S6), and it seems more likely to be a road.
H. Clare (NMP), 24 April 2002.


See (S7) for a popular account of the Roman road.
D. Gurney (NLA), 3 October 2008

January 2011. Norfolk NMP.
A possible stretch of the Peddar's Way, on a slightly different orientation to the formerly projected course through Brettenham, is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs running from TL 9411 8380 to TL 9390 8467, and has been recorded as NHER 54566.
E. Bales (NMP), 19 Jan 2011.

February 2011. Norfolk NMP.
The earthworks of a probable section of the Peddars Way Roman road were visible on aerial photographs along the line of the Harling and Brettenham parish boundary and recorded under NHER 54586, see record for details.
S. Horlock (NMP), 18 February 2011.

Monument Types

  • BANK (EARTHWORK) (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • FORD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • TRACKWAY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Finds

  • HUMAN REMAINS (Undated)
  • COIN (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • POT (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • Higher Level Stewardship
  • Higher Level Stewardship
  • Higher Level Stewardship
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE
  • SHINE

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: OS76.020,176.224. Unit TL9384 E-G; TL9385 A,B; TL9386 A,B.
---Serial: 1957. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries. No 4. p 5.
---Unpublished Contractor Report: Letch, A. 1994. Evaluation Report on Grange Farm, A47, Swaffham. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 100.
---Unpublished Report: Robinson, R.. 1997. The alignment of the Peddar's Way in relation to natural watercourses.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1979. [Article and letters to the editor of the proposed footpath along The Peddar's Way].
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Unpublished Contractor Report: Network Archaeology. 2002. Bacton to Kings Lynn Proposed Gas Pipeline. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. Network Archaeology. 179.
---Unpublished Document: Sibbett, N., Taylor, M. and Nickson, B.. 2008. Brettenham Heath National Nature Reserve Management Plan, January 2008-January 2013.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Roman. Massingham (Great).
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide.
---Fiche: Exists.
---Photograph: BZP6,7, HAS.
---Collection: Norfolk Historic Environment Record Staff. 1975-[2000]. HER Record Notes. Norfolk Historic Environment Service.
---Designation: Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1975-?. Norfolk Archaeological Unit Recommendation for Scheduling. Recommendation. NHER1289.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Miscellaneous. Brettenham.
---Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Human Skeletal Remains (HSR). Peddars Way'.
<S1>Vertical Aerial Photograph: BKS. 1987. BKS 3397 04-JUL-1987 (NCC 0089).
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: BKS. 1988. BKS 8430 27-MAY-1988 (NCC 0979).
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1972. OS/72005 034 15-MAR-1972.
<S4>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1972. OS/72005 039 15-MAR-1972.
<S5>Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1571 4091 07-JUN-1946 (Norfolk SMR TF 7040C).
<S6>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1902-7. OS 25" 2nd edition (1902-7) - sheet VI.2.
<S7>Monograph: Robinson, B.. 1996. 'Road to Nowhere' in Chasing the Shadows, Norfolk Mysteries Revisited..
<S8>Unpublished Contractor Report: Pendleton, C. and Sommers, M. 1998. Rapid Earthwork Identification Survey. Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service. 98/25.
<S9>Illustration: [Unknown]. [Unknown]. Drawing of Roman pottery vessel. Paper. 1:1.

Related records

43419Parent of: Cropmarks of the Peddars Way Roman Road (Monument)
54586Parent of: Earthworks of a probable section of the Peddars Way Roman road (Monument)
26906Parent of: Possible Roman trackway and bank (Monument)

Find out more...

Norfolk County Council logo Heritage Lottery Fund logo

Powered by HBSMR-web and the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd, and mojoPortal CMS
© 2007 - 2024 Norfolk Historic Environment Service