NHER 27216 (Monument record) - Undated or medieval ditches

January 2003. Norfolk NMP.
The feature is formed by two parallel lengths of east to west aligned ditch that run from a north to south aligned ditch eastwards, curving round and almost meeting at the eastern end (S1), visible within the area of finds scatter NHER 22308. The western end of the possible enclosure is formed by a north to south aligned ditch visible for a length of 93m, from TF 5950 2020 to TF 5950 2011. The northern ditch runs from this feature eastwards to TF 5967 2018, where it turns towards the south for a length of 10m. There are the traces of a low bank to the south of the western end of this ditch. There is a possible continuation of this ditch to the west, although it is slightly offset from the eastern ditch. The southern ditch runs eastwards from TF 5947 2013 for a length of 215m, crossing the north to south aligned ditch, to TF 5968 2014 where it turns northwards to TF 5968 2016. The two ditches almost certainly originally joined at the eastern end, technically making this all one ditch. Both ditches are not visible on the line of the road leading to Margaretta House, which runs diagonally across the site and appears to truncate, and post date the ditches.
This certainly has the appearance of an elongated enclosure, although it may simply be inadvertently formed by boundary or drainage ditches. Overall the ditches enclose an area with an east to west length of 180m and a width of 45m, although it cannot be proven that all the ditches are contemporary. The enclosed area appears to be slightly raised, although this may be a natural rise. The date of these ditches is uncertain. The road that truncates these features is not depicted on Faden’s map (S3) but is visible on the Ordnance Survey 1st edition (S4), although this may simply be down to the detail in mapping. It seems likely that the features are medieval or early Post-medieval in date, possibly relating to drainage, land division or settlement.
M. Brennand (NMP), 23 January 2003.