NHER 15127 (Monument record) - Earthworks west of Priory Farm

Early 18th century.
Earthworks.
'Between Aldeby Hall and the Church (in The Bottom) are several large irregular hollow places with large banks thrown up about them. The tenant imagines they have been fishponds and so they may have been, but were the ground more eminent I should have taken them for fortifications, and inquire about them. They are called 'The Mardells'. See (S1)
NB. The grid reference fits the description, and indeed on the eastern side of this area are traces of earthworks which seemed to me to be drainage (mentioned under NHER 10725). However, it is just possible that if (S1) meant Aldeby House.
E. Rose (NAU) 10 August 1979.

1995. Earthwork Survey.
Survey showing enclosure, platform, part infilled pond and small pond which may be remnants of Priory to the east.
Finds recovered include:
1 Iron Age pottery sherd (flint gritted body sherd - heavily iron stained).
3 medieval pottery sherds (unglazed body sherds) and 2 bricks.
1 medieval/post-medieval pottery sherd (LMT).
2 post-medieval roof tiles (1 with peg hole).
Finds identified by A.Rogerson (NLA).
See report (S2) further details and copy of plan (S8). This survey is also noted in (S9).
B.Cushion (NLA) March 1995. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 12 March 2015.

THE CENTRAL GRID REFERENCE HAS BEEN ALTERED FROM TM 449 932 to TM 4499 9321. SITE EXTENDED TO THE SOUTH TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL EARTHWORK.

August 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The previously surveyed medieval to post medieval date earthworks, consisting of a series of ponds, hollows, platforms and drainage ditches, were visible on aerial photographs (S5-S7). The site is centred on TM 4499 9321. It seems likely that at least some of these earthworks are contemporary and associated with Benedictine Priory site to the immediate east (NHER 10725). Other earthworks associated with the Priory were visible on the aerial photographs and these have been recorded under NHER 44594. The hollows are likely to be the remains of fishponds and the platforms may originally had structures on top. Although the rectangular terrace or scarped area may have been created for agricultural purposes.

The majority of the earthworks visible on the aerial photographs are consistent with those identified and mapped during the ground survey (S2); a low rectangular mound, or scarp-edged enclosure, at TM 4500 9325, with a sub-circular mound on the southeastern corner, an irregularly shaped hollow at TM 4502 9320 connected to the main drains to the south by a leat and an oblong partially infilled pond at TM 4492 9324.

In addition to these major earthworks a series of more ephemeral features were possible visible in the oblique aerial photograph from 1953 (S7), located in-between the oblong pond and the eastern rectangular platform. These consist of group of parallel ditches, which are either agricultural subdivisions or drains running towards the pond to the west. A broader linear hollow is visible running across these features (S5). The pond appears to be surrounded by a 2-3m wide ditch, with a bank to the south. An additional hollow was mapped to the south of the site at TM 4503 9312. This runs parallel to one of the major drains and may also be associated with drainage.
S. Massey (NMP), 16 August 2006.