Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

January 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of a coaxial field system, trackways and possibly a farmstead of Roman date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-3). Previous finds suggest that it is possible that the settlement has Iron Age origins. An excavated Early Anglo-Saxon settlement in this area also raises the possibility that the field system continued in use into that period. These cropmarks are centred on TG 3315 3247.

The field system is arranged on a southwest to northeast axis and extends over an area measuring 715m by 650m. The cropmarks are fragmentary due to areas of different geology. However the most complete area appears to be located at TG 3325 3252 where a group of at least three adjacent fields are visible. They measure 120m long (northwest to southeast) and between 54m and 70m wide. Further to the southwest at TG 3311 3241 is another partially complete field, which measures 77m by 33m. Two parallel ditches, spaced 11m apart, define the southeast side of this field. These ditches may represent a 56m section of southwest to northeast aligned trackway leading towards the group of three fields discussed above. Further northwest to southeast aligned ditches are present to the southeast of this trackway suggesting that the field system continues in that direction. The cropmarks of these ditches are too fragmentary for the size of any of the fields to be determined.

A southwest to northeast aligned ditch extends intermittently between TG 3299 3247 and TG 3314 3261. This is aligned parallel, and 82m, to the northeast side of the central group of three fields indicating additional fields in this area. Another ditch extends for at least 240m to its northeast across the line of the modern road. An 88m long negative cropmark further to the northwest, possibly representing a bank or path surface flanked by ditches, may also be related. To the northeast of the central group of fields are two parallel ditches possibly representing a second southwest to northeast aligned trackway associated with the field system (S3). This trackway is 12m wide and curves towards the south at its southwest end.

Various fieldwalking finds, including pottery of Iron Age, Roman and Early Anglo-Saxon date, have previously been recorded from main area of these cropmarks (NHER 6943, 7005, 16641). In addition two Early Anglo-Saxon grubenhauser have been excavated at TG 3304 3245 (NHER 16641), although no clear cropmark evidence of this period was identified. The form of this field system suggests that it is Roman and it is likely that the central group of fields at TG 3325 3252 includes a settlement of Roman, and possibly also Iron Age, date. It is possible that some parts of the field system also have an Iron Age origin and it may have continued in use in association with the Early Anglo-Saxon settlement. Cropmarks of this field system are crossed by two north to south aligned gas pipelines which were not mapped.
(S1-3)
J. Albone (NMP), 13 January 2005

Monument Types

• FARMSTEAD (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• SETTLEMENT (Early Iron Age to Roman - 800 BC to 409 AD)
• COAXIAL FIELD SYSTEM (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FIELD SYSTEM (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• TRACKWAY (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• FIELD SYSTEM? (Early Saxon - 410 AD to 650 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Bacton (Parish Summary)
• Parish Summary: Witton (North Norfolk) (Parish Summary)