NHER 2865 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Possible post-medieval animal houses

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Summary

Two or four undated ring ditches were identified here. One of these in the 1960s was interpreted as a post medieval polygonal pig pen or open-sided shed. These are shown on early maps as ditches surrounding clumps of trees.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TF91SE
Civil Parish DEREHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

Map

June 1964.
Two ring ditches seen by [1].
Noted on (S1).

1968. Excavation.
Northern one excavated by [1].

Post medieval polygonal piggery.
R. R. Clarke (NCM).

See (S1) where claims four ring ditches and says pre 1815. Open sided shed excavated.
E. Rose (NLA).

These first two 'ring ditches' are in fact shown on (S2) as ditches encircling clumps of trees. This seems to make the piggery unlikely. Did the excavator mark the correct site? (S3) gives no map but says they cut into the ridge and furrow which is shown some way away on (S4). The identification is in any case given as very tenuous.
E. Rose (NLA), 25 February 1998.

March 2024. Wendling Beck and Fransham Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
Two ring ditches are visible as earthworks on 1940s aerial photographs (S5) at this approximate location, and have been recorded individually as NHER 68078-9. They correspond with tree clumps depicted on the Ordnance Survey 1st edition 6 inch map (S6) and probably the same as the ‘first two’ ring ditches described above.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 8 March 2024.

  • --- Aerial Photograph: TF 9812E.
  • --- Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Post-Medieval. Dereham.
  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • <S1> Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 91 SE 25.
  • <S2> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1902-1907. Ordnance Survey Map. 25 inch to the mile. Second Edition. 1:2500.
  • <S3> Article in Serial: Moorhouse, S. 1972. Post-Medieval Britain in 1970. Post-Medieval Archaeology. Vol 5 (for 1971) pp 197-222. pp 209-210.
  • <S4> Map: NCM. NCM Record Map.
  • <S5> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Various. Various. Vertical Aerial Photography from the Historic England Archive. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/100 V 5429-5430 30-MAR-1946.
  • <S6> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1884-1891. Ordnance Survey Map. Six inches to the mile. First Edition. 1:10,560.

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Nov 23 2025 11:00AM

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