NHER 36362 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of two ring ditches

2 July 1996. NLA air photography.
Two broad ring ditches visible as cropmarks. Of similar dimension to circular pond features marked on map but obscured by tree cover. It is likely that these two features are remnants of similar structures.
S. Massey (NLA), 23 July 2001.

August 2006. Norfolk NMP
Cropmarks of two ring ditches, possibly relating to Bronze Age round barrows or post medieval ponds, are visible on aerial photographs (S1). The central grid reference for these cropmarks has been amended from TM 3613 9271 to TM 3615 9270. A complete ring ditch cropmark is present at TM 3619 9274. It is circular in plan with a 2m wide ditch and an external diameter of 25m. The second ring ditch cropmark is located 100m to its southwest at TM 3611 9266. It is partly obscured by a tree and is not fully visible. This ring ditch also appears to have a circular plan with a 2m wide ditch and an external diameter of 24m.

These two ring ditches are located in the park associated with Ellingham Hall and have previously been interpreted as post medieval ornamental ponds. Two ring-shaped ponds with diameters of 23m and 28m are still present in the southeast corner of the park at TM 3624 9262. These ponds are marked on the first edition 6 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map (S2). Whilst it is possible that the cropmarks also relate to ponds, they are not shown on this, or any other available maps. It is perhaps more likely that the ring ditches are of Bronze Age date and that they relate to round barrows. They form an alignment with two other ring ditch cropmarks located on a spur of higher ground 560m to the northeast (NHER 44995). The park was established in the early 19th century and had been common land prior to the enclosure of Ellingham parish in 1806 (S3). It is possible that Bronze Age round barrows could have survived as earthworks on the common, as is the case on Broome Heath, until the establishment of the park. These ring ditches occupy a similar landscape position to those on Broome Heath, lying at approximately 5m OD on the terrace of the River Waveney.
J. Albone (NMP), 22 August 2006