NHER 27160 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Probably Iron Age to Roman trackways, enclosure and pits

THIS SITE CONTAINS CROPMARKS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 29563.

15 July 1986. NAU air photography.
Cropmarks of enclosures or fields, and trackways running towards NHER 1115.
D. Edwards (NAU).

July 2001. Norfolk 2002. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmark site of a multiple ditched trackway and associated linears and enclosure, visible on NLA oblique aerial photographs from 1980 (S2) and 1986 (S2). The main (western) trackway consists of the two main linears running from TF 6847 4038 to TF 6855 4000. These ditches are at their widest 1.5m wide. Flanking these main ditches are several shorter stretches of parallel ditch, suggesting some re-cutting and slight shifting of the track over time. The track is approximately 6 to 8m wide, although at TF 6847 4014, it widens out to 12m, to form a slightly funnelled entrance, as the track joins with another. This trackway has less well-defined ditches and can only be traced for approximately 170m to the northeast. At TF 6852 4002 the trackway appears to turn into a broad ditched hollow and continues to the southwest. At TF 6844 3997 this feature reverts to a double ditched feature and turns to the northwest and continues along the line of a field boundary marked on the 2nd ed. map (S3). A third trackway is suggested by some interrupted ditches, running from TF 6839 4014 to TF 6863 4026. Located around TF 6846 4018 are a cluster of three pits, either side of the trackway; the largest of which is approximately 6m in diameter. To the immediate north of this area several, parallel linear features, which are almost 90° to the trackway. This trackway appears to run down towards the Ringstead Parva DMV (NHER 1115). However, there is no definite correlation between the two sites. The morphologically the medieval ditches and the ones recorded here are quite different and it appears that the DMV boundaries may cross over these. It is possible that some of these linear features are medieval in date although they are more likely late prehistoric to Romano-British.
To the northeast of the main trackway is a sub-rectangular ditched enclosure, centred at TF 6851 4026. The enclosure is approximately 48m by 30m and the ditch is at its widest at the rounded end, where it appears to reach at least 2m across. Within the enclosure itself are several linear features, which may relate to internal subdivisions. It seems likely that this enclosure is considerably earlier than the trackway system. The typology of the enclosure and the concentration of Roman coins and pottery over this area (see NHER 29563 and NHER 1270 context 2) implies that this enclosure is Roman-British, possibly with Iron Age origins.
S. Massey (NMP), 3 July 2001.