Record Details

NHER Number:11869
Type of record:Monument
Name:Cropmarks of possible Roman road

Summary

The cropmarks and slight earthworks of a double linear feature are visible on aerial photographs. The feature may be a variant course of the Fen Causeway Roman road (NHER 2796). Other linear and circular features of unknown date have also been recorded.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TL 5296 9957
Map Sheet:TL59NW
Parish:NORDELPH, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK
UPWELL, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

12 July 1974 and undated. NAU and St Joseph air photography.
Cropmarks of double linear feature, basically two parallel lines with light band between running across present dyke and road system, widening and becoming irregular at west end; at east, apparently joined by similar feature.
Best seen on St Joseph air photograph (in NAU as TL 5399E).
Suggested by D. Edwards (NAU) as course of Fen Causeway, but this marked by OS to south of modern road (see 2796) on line corrected by R. R. Clarke.
Cropmarks of road-like feature apparent on Clarke's line.
West end of 11869 suggests a roddon, but Clarke's line also follows roddon in places.
Are these two parallel routes? Or a medieval drove preceding modern road?
E. Rose, 25 August 1983.

Fieldwork by R. Silvester (NAU) extends the feature eastwards as an earthwork as far as 5470 9998, and suggests it may well be a variant course of the Fen Causeway.
See details in file and in (S1).
E. Rose (NAU) 23 January 1989.

15 May 1979. RCHME air photography.
Two small Riley-circles located at around TL 518 990
S. Norton (NAU), 11 October 1990

And a third such circle (or one of these misplaced?) is visible on NAU photographs just to the east.
E. Rose (NAU) 29 April 1993.

22 July 1996. NLA air photography.
Previously recorded cropmark of double linear feature is clearly visible.
Additional linear features are visible in field northewest of Threeways bungalow (field centre NGR TL 5267 9950), 2 of these cross the original linears approximately north to south. They are parallel to each other possibly forming another road/trackway which seems to bend to the west at its southern extent.
H. Clare (NLA), 4 January 2002.

Monument Types

  • LINEAR FEATURE (Unknown date)
  • SITE (Unknown date)
  • CAUSEWAY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • SITE (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
  • RING DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • SITE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TRACKWAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TL 5299A-D; TL 5399A-G; TL 5198C; TL5199 C,D,E,AE,AF; TF5400 C-H.
---Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TL 5299AW - AY; TL 5298F.
---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.

Related records

2796Related to: Fen Causeway Roman road (Monument)

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