NHER 26788 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Post medieval to modern earthworks

February 2001. NMP.
A number of sections are visible as fragmentary earthworks between TF 7544 and TF 7644, mostly running east to west, on 1950s aerial photographs (S1). As with the features of NHER 26793, the banks similarly roughly follow the course of drainage/boundary ditches. Significantly fewer banks are visible on 1970s aerial photographs (S2), and the earthworks are less well defined. The banks also correspond to the boundary/drainage ditches depicted on the 1905 OS map (S3). It would appear that the banks which can be seen as earthwork are in fact the spoil heaps which have been created during ditch clearance. This area is also marked on the 1797 map (S4) as being 'drained', like NHER 26793, although this area is not so well defined. Again although the earthworks visible on modern aerial photographs may well be modern features, they are probably building on a process begun in the post-medieval period.
A. Hunt (NMP), 1 February 2001.