NHER 27203 (Monument record) - Medieval salt works

THESE FEATURE WERE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AS NHER 2190.

January 2003. Norfolk NMP.
There are four distinct areas of lighter soil visible on the aerial photographs (S1) although only the smaller two were recorded as identifiable mounds during the Fenland Survey in 1985 (NHER 2190). The northernmost mound (TF 5795 2156) is sub rounded in plan, with a maximum diameter of 83m. To the immediate south is a second sub rounded feature (TF 5799 2148) with a maximum diameter of 82m. These features appear as light coloured areas of soil but were not recorded as raised areas during fieldwalking. There is a linear light soil mark running south from this feature for a recorded length of 245m, from TF 5800 2144 to TF 5817 2126. The feature meanders slightly and might represent the line of a former channel, or more likely a bank excavated down the side of a former saltmarsh channel. This may have been utilised to direct the flow of the channel around the side of the saltern. To the east are two sub rounded features (TF 5803 2153 and TF 5805 2147), each with a maximum diameter of 29m. These are contexts 2 and 3 of NHER 2190. These are likely to represent saltern mounds.
This is likely to be a small salt production complex, similar to others within the area. The pottery recovered from the surface of the easternmost features suggests a medieval date for the use of the saltern mounds. The mounds are behind the Sea Bank (NHER 2187), but the Sea Bank at this point is likely to be late medieval in date, rather than late Saxon.
M. Brennand (NMP), 17 January 2003.