NHER 11676 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Late prehistoric multiple ditch system cropmarks

1975. NAU air photography
Southeast of The Lay.
Two ring ditches and three others, also linear features.
E. Rose (NAU), 19 October 1976.

April 2006. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of a multiple ditch system of possible Bronze Age to Iron Age date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S11). Cropmarks of ring ditches and other linear features, and the possible site of a medieval manor house, which were previously included under this number are now recorded separately (NHER 43611-4, 44457). As a result of these changes the central grid reference for this record has been amended from TM 30 87 to TM 3070 8795. Cropmarks of three parallel curvilinear ditches are present. These extend for 305m on a roughly northwest to southeast alignment between TM 3056 8804 to TM 3080 8784. The outer ditches are up to 5m wide and are mostly continuous for the visible length of the cropmarks. A deliberate gap is present in the northeastern outer ditch at TM 3068 8798. This gap measures 8m across and is likely to be a deliberate entrance into the inner area of the ditches. The central ditch is intermittent and measures up to 2m wide. Nine separate sections are visible along the length of the cropmarks varying from 3m to 28m in length. The northwestern extent of these cropmarks is formed by a large pond called The Lay, which may be of natural origin (NHER 11114). The three ditches in this system appear to curve as they approach this pond. It is possible that fragmentary curvilinear ditch cropmarks on the north side of The Lay may represent a continuation of this multiple ditch system (NHER 43628). However, those cropmarks are too limited in extent for this to be certain. To the southeast the main cropmarks of the multiple ditch system stop at the edge of the arable field, where they are cut by a former railway siding (NHER 43546). However, one set of aerial photographs (S5) appears to show cropmarks of the outer ditches continuing to the southeast of the modern road towards the River Waveney. The river would have formed a major landscape boundary in the late prehistoric period and it is likely that the multiple ditch system stopped at this point. Multiple ditch systems of this type are known from both Yorkshire and Lincolnshire (S13-S14) where they are dated to the Bronze Age to Iron Age periods. These landscape boundaries are rare in East Anglia with only a few convincing examples recorded in Norfolk (NHER 31746). The relationship of this boundary to the adjacent cropmarks is interesting. Cropmarks of ring ditches forming a dispersed Bronze Age barrow cemetery (NHER 43610-2, 43538-40) are present on both sides of the ditch system. It is possible that the ditch system cut across an existing barrow cemetery, or that the barrows were deliberately placed in close proximity to it. The relationship between the multiple ditch system and fragmentary field system cropmarks present to its southwest and northeast is unknown (NHER 43613, 43541). The ditch system cropmarks are overlain by cropmarks of post medieval field boundaries, which were not mapped.
J. Albone (NMP), 05 May 2006

November 2025. HER Enhancement: Forestry Commission Project K.
The cropmarks of the multiple ditch system of possible Bronze Age to Iron Age date (see above) are also visible on aerial photographs from 2006.
J. Powell (Norfolk County Council Environment Service), 20 November 2025