NHER 26666 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Post medieval sea defence banks

May 2002. Norfolk NMP.
Two sections of bank, running from TF 8350 4520 to TF 8474 4502, are visible on 1969 Hunting Survey photographs (S1) and 1974 OS aerial photographs (S2). These banks are marked on the 1822 plan of the Burnham Salt Marshes (S3) of the area as 'old banks', indicating that they were already well established by this date. They may potentially be as early as the second half of the seventeenth century.

The larger and southern most of the two is approximately 1.5km long and varies in width from 7m to 22m along its length. It appears quite dilapidated in areas. This bank turns an almost 90 degrees to the south at its eastern end. This acts to cut off and protect the corner of the saltmarsh. The northern section of bank co-joins this feature at TF 8408 4535. This earthwork forms a curvilinear boundary, almost meeting the southern bank at TF 8446 4532. This bank forms a crescent shaped enclosed area, 365m by 88m. A third, much smaller stretch of bank sits to the east of this area, almost parallel to the main southern boundary.
S. Massey (NMP), 8 May 2002.

May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 8), Context 757.
A sea defence bank located to the southeast of the modern sea bank, it stretched between TF 83329 45158 and TF 84221 45359. For most of its length it was linear, but towards its eastern end it split into two to become Y shaped. It is labelled 'Old Bank' on a map dating to 1822 (S4); it may be illustrated on a map from 1825, but the drawing is not clear enough to be certain (S5, in S6).
See assessment report (S7) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
J. Allen (NLA), 18 April 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2019.