NHER 13073 (Monument record) - Undated field system, southwest of Winterton-On-Sea

13 July 1976. NAU air photographs.
Cropmark. Apparently of road double dark line each side of white band, crossing field boundaries unlike parallel marks of field drains.
E. Rose (NAU), 17 January 1978.

15 March 1972. Ordnance Survey air photographs.
Extend line in each direction as band of light soil. Possible interpretation as road line.
D. Edwards (NAU), 2 April 1981.

5 September 1975. St Joseph air photograph.
Extends one dark line further north with attached square enclosure.
E. Rose (NAU), 29 April 1982.

29 July 1986. Nau air photography.
Square enclosure also visible on NAU air photography.
D. Edwards (NAU).

March 2006. Norfolk NMP.
Some of the cropmarks described below were previously recorded as NHER 13017 and perhaps also as NHER 12189. NMP mapping has led to the alteration of the central grid reference of the site from TG 4905 1855 to TG 4901 1877.

The cropmarks described above form part of a larger cropmark site, representing a former field system of unknown date, visible on aerial photographs (S1)-(S8). The general character of the field system, and its shared orientation with field boundaries depicted on Winterton Enclosure and Tithe Maps (S9)-(S10), suggests that it may date from the medieval to earlier post medieval period. The principal elements of the field system are two near parallel, double ditched boundaries and/or trackways, oriented northwest to southeast and visible intermittently between TG 4859 1927 and TG 4930 1804, and TG 4861 1929 and TG 4919 1829. The ‘road’ described above may refer to parts of both these boundaries. The eastern boundary is also visible further to the south, but here it corresponds with a field boundary and trackway depicted on historic Ordnance Survey maps, e.g. (S11), and consequently it has not been mapped. At its north end, the cropmark of the western boundary is difficult to interpret. It appears in places as a wide ditch, perhaps representing a hollow way or similar type of negative feature, and also as two narrow banks.

Two groups of field boundaries oriented east to west are also visible in this area: NHER 43399 at the northern end of the site and NHER 43400 to the east. The northern site may post date the field system described here and perhaps dates to the post medieval period; the eastern site could date to any period, including the prehistoric. It should be noted that the division between these three phases of field system was not always clear, and that elements grouped with one site may in fact have formed part of another, or may have remained in use during more than one phase. In particular, the double ditched boundary visible between TG 4901 1910 and TG 4918 1853 has been recorded as part of the medieval field system described here, but it could equally be part of the possibly earlier field system NHER 43400 to the east. A probable Bronze Age round barrow cemetery (NHER 43398) is also visible. This seems to be at least partially respected by the field system, suggesting that the barrows still survived as earthworks when the field boundaries were laid out. One or more of the barrows may have been reused as post mill mounds, at a date that may have been contemporary with the field system.

The field system is visible across an area measuring approximately 1465m by 640m. Most elements are aligned either parallel to the two main boundaries (described above) or at right angles to them, forming a broadly coaxial pattern. Fragmentary fields are visible within this pattern. The enclosure described above, which is visible at the northern end of the site, is clearly integrated within the field system but also appears to be a distinctive feature, perhaps used for a specialised purpose. It is broadly rectangular in shape, measures 96.5m long and 74m wide, and has what is probably a genuine entrance on its northeast side (at TG 4872 1931).
S. Tremlett (NMP), 17 March 2006.