NHER 21850 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Site of probable Bronze Age round barrow

OF THE CROPMARKS DESCRIBED BELOW, ONLY THE RING DITCH IS STILL RECORDED UNDER THIS NUMBER. THE ENCLOSURE IS NOW RECORDED AS NHER 50812. THE HORSESHOE-SHAPED ARRANGEMENT OF PITS IS NOT NUMBERED, AS THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT IT IS LIKELY TO BE MAN-MADE, RATHER THAN OF GEOLOGICAL ORIGIN, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN MAPPED BY THE NMP.

14 September 1981. At approximate grid reference.
Cropmarks noted on Cambridge University Collection Aerial Photographs list of aerial photographs.
E. Rose (NAU), 22 October 1985.

27 November 1985. Cambridge Univeristey Collection Aerial Photographs aerial photographs references. CPF 80-1 examined by D. Edwards (NAU) (S1)-(S2).
Above reported cropmarks found to be those of one ring ditch (2738 1601) one enclosure (northeast corner of this only at 2735 1590) and a possible 'horse-shoe' shaped enclosure of pits at 2740 1610.
D. Edwards (NAU), 6 December 1985.

January 2008. Norfolk NMP.
Of the cropmarks described above, only the ring ditch is still recorded under this number. The enclosure is now recorded as NHER 50812. The horseshoe-shaped arrangement of pits is not numbered, as there is no evidence that it is likely to be man-made, rather than of geological origin, and it has not been mapped by the NMP.

The undated ring ditch described above is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (S1)-(S3), centred at TG 2739 1605. It probably marks the site of a Bronze Age round barrow. Although no dating evidence has been recovered from the site itself, a scatter of prehistoric material has been found at locations 430m to the southwest (NHER 19345-6). More significantly, the ring ditch lies only 215m to the north of the western end of a probable Bronze Age linear barrow cemetery (NHER 50816). Its location close to the confluence of two tributaries of the River Bure is also typical of prehistoric funerary monuments. The ring ditch appears to be respected by a post medieval field boundary to its south (part of NHER 50817), suggesting that it was still visible as an earthwork when the boundary was laid out.

The ring ditch is roughly circular in plan and measures approximately 23m in diameter. A pit-like cropmark located within it, slightly east of centre, may have held an associated burial or votive deposit, but could instead be the product of geology rather than archaeology. It should be noted that while the background geology at the site is conducive to the formation of ring-ditch-like cropmarks, this example, if not the internal pit, appears to be genuine. It is also the case that the oblique aerial photographs of the site rectified poorly due to inadequate control, and although the 1990 verticals (S3) were also used, this may have had an adverse effect on the accuracy of the mapping.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 22 January 2008.

March 2008. Norfolk Aggregates Assessment Project.
Provisional ALSF Scores have not been assigned to this site, as it falls outside the Sub-Unit A assessment area. Given its isolation, it can be regarded as being of Local significance, although its relative antiquity and its proximity to other probable funerary sites of similar date (e.g. 50816), indicates that it lies at the upper (i.e. more significant) end of this scoring scheme, and is arguably of Regional/County significance.
S. Tremlett (NLA), 4 March 2008.