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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	24136
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Medieval ridge and furrow on west side of island

Summary

Earthworks of medieval ridge and furrow can be seen on aerial photographs. Earthwork survey of the site revealed this to be the largest surviving block of medieval ridge and furrow in Norfolk, totalling almost 19 hectares. Most of the strips are aligned east to west but a bank separates these from a north to south area in the extreme south of the site. An access trackway to the east of most of the east to west features has also been identified.

Images

Location

Grid Reference:	TL 617 977
Map Sheet:	TL69NW
Parish:	HILGAY, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

1987. Several fields, west side of island.
Ridge and furrow.
Information from R. Silvester (NAU).
E. Rose (NAU), 13 November 1987.

8 July 1988 and 23 February 1989.
Earthworks of ridge and furrow visible on NAU air photographs.
D. Edwards (NAU).

1996. Earthwork Survey.
The area survey comprises the largest surviving block of medieval ridge and furrow in Norfolk, totalling almost 19 hectares. Most of the strips are aligned east to west, essentially downslope but a good headland bank separates these from a north to south area in the extreme south of the site where the strips are best preserved and most curving on the site. An access trackway exists to the east of much of the east to west features, in part coinciding with a former headland as some of the ridges convincingly join to it.
See report (S2) for plan and further details. This site was included in (S3) and the survey is also noted in (S4).
B. Cushion (NLA), March 1996. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 23 March 2015.

8 May 1998. NLA air photography.
Earthworks of extensive ridge and furrow still visible.
S. Massey (NLA), 22 November 2001.

Monument Types

DRAINAGE DITCH (Unknown date)
CAUSEWAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

SHINE
Higher Level Stewardship

Sources and further reading

---	Aerial Photograph: TL6197 C-E,F-K,T-V; TF6198 D-F; TL 6198 C; TL 6197 P-S.
---	*Fieldwork: Fenland Survey. FENS.
---	Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1998. TF 6197AA - AB, AJ - AW.
---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>	Monograph: Silvester, R. J. 1991. The Fenland Project, Number 4: The Wissey Embayment and the Fen Causeway, Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 52.
<S2>	Unpublished Report: Cushion, B. 1996. Hilgay SMR24136. Earthwork Survey Report.
<S3>	Monograph: Cushion, B. and Davison, A. 2003. Earthworks of Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 104. p 201.
<S4>	Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1997. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1996. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLII Pt IV pp 547-564. p 553.