NHER 16591 (Monument record) - Possible ring ditch, undated curvilinear feature and saltern mound

4 August 1977. NAU aerial photography. Cropmark.
Small circular cropmark actually lying on the course of an old water channel. Curvilinear cropmark in corner of field.
Possibly extends into adjoining fields to complete circle. Dark area within arc.
J. Bown (NAU), 3 October 1980.

These markings must date from after 1775, as this was the date at which New Marsh, on which these lie, was enclosed and reclaimed by Captain Bentinck as a peninsula protruding into the Wash (see Faden's map). The curvilinear cropmark, into which two old river channels run, could be some sort of natural meander; but the circular mark is remarkable. It does not appear to be a ditched haystack; the ditch is too large. Perhaps a seamark mound like others on this coast?
E. Rose (NAU), 3 October 1980.

January 2003. Norfolk NMP. (NGR amended from original TF 5655 2361).
The 'ring ditch' (TF 5654 2360) is approximately circular and relatively small (S1), with a diameter of 14m. The ditch is relatively broad with a possible width of 2.90m. The northern half of the feature appears to be formed by a meander in a saltmarsh channel, while the southern half may be an excavated ditch or a second meander. The course of the channel can be discerned as cropmark to the east and west (S1), and the feature is tonally indistinguishable from the channel course. This may be an excavated feature but it may equally be caused by a saltmarsh channel. The purpose of the feature is unknown but it is extremely similar in appearance to NHER 27161, approximately 1.7km to the south.
To the west is a length of curvilinear ditch (TF 5641 2362 to TF 5641 2370) with a length of 95m (S1). The feature may also continue to the west and south, where the crop conditions are different. Two saltmarsh channels appear to flow into the ditch. The area to the south-west, which is enclosed by the ditch, has a lighter parched appearance with a darker irregular shaped feature within it. The darker, pit-like feature has a maximum diameter of 21m. This lighter area may represent a saltern mound surrounded by either a marsh channel or excavated water channel. It is possible that this is a saltern site located in a natural meander on the former saltmarsh. A saltern in this location, a considerable distance to the north of the Sea Bank, is likely to be medieval in date.
M. Brennand (NMP), 9 January 2003.