NHER 11434 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of Browston Hall formal gardens

E. Rose (NAU) 14 July 1988.
1976. Cropmarks.
Building complex east of Browston Hall.
Apparently surrounding a courtyard on three sides, that on east much larger with cellars?, partitioned. On west and south extremely narrow, robber trenches or beam slots. Ditch enclosures and droveways around site.
Suggested by A. Gregory (NAU) as Roman villa.
However note that (S1) says there is an 'ancient house' "..not two hundred yards from [Browston] Hall" with a stone inscribed 'W. R. S. 1689'.
P. Wade-Martins (NAU) suggests these cropmarks are the house and/or its formal gardens
E. Rose (NAU) 1980.

September 1980. Field where cropmark patterns observed.
Found on ploughed surface.
Large quantities of post medieval brick and tile (discarded).
5 sherds of unglazed medieval.
Numerous post medieval pottery, including one sherd of Chinese porcelain.
Seen by A. Rogerson (NAU) 10 December 1980.
A. Gregory (NAU) 16 December 1980.

(S1)'s statement in fact refers to the Manor House to the west, NHER 24634, but note Browston Hall (NHER 24633) is itself a late 17th century building.

1990.
T. Williamson (UEA) says - clearly a 17th century garden layout and perhaps site of a house as well - not Roman. (From aerial photography evidence).
E. Rose (NLA), 18 July 1990.

2 July 1996. NLA air photography (S2).
Cropmarks of possible 17th century formal garden layout visible.
S. Massey (NLA), 23 July 2001.

THE CENTRE OF THE SITE HAS BEEN ALTERED FROM TG 5013 0180 TO TG 5014 0181.

October 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The post medieval formal gardens associated with Browston Hall are visible on aerial photographs to the immediate east of the Hall (S3-S6). The site is centred on TG 5029 0163. This site has previously been interpreted as a possible Roman courtyard villa. Surface finds from the site include post medieval brick and tile, together with pottery from the medieval and post medieval periods.

The cropmarks suggest a central arrangement of square parterres and beds, with either compacted or surfaced walkways or walled areas in-between. These show as slight ridges within a sunken, darker area. To either side of these formal beds are a series of ditches and enclosures, probably revealing the routes of paths and compartmentalised and subdivided areas of the garden. It is suggested above that the cropmarks may also reveal the location of a house also. This is not immediate obvious from the aerial photographic evidence. The only parched or compacted areas visible on the aerial photographs appear to relate to the central parterres. Although it is possible that the L-shaped arrangement of conjoined rectangular enclosed areas in-between the flower beds and the present Browston Hall could relate to an additional range of buildings. Further documentary and map-based research would be required to interpret this site further.

Additional rectilinear cropmarks to the north (NHER 45195) may represent further post medieval garden features, although this is not certain.
S. Massey (NMP), 24 October 2006