NHER 38440 (Monument record) - Probable post medieval ditches and banks relating to water meadows

February 2004, Norfolk NMP.
Earthworks and soilmarks of drainage ditches and banks associated with possible post medieval water meadows visible on aerial photographs (S1). Floated water meadows of this type comprised a system of channels and drains to create a managed flow of water across the surface of the meadow. This encouraged growth of the grass early in the year to provide spring grazing for livestock. At this location, a system of parallel northwest - southeast aligned ditches are shown in the eastern part of the area on the first edition Ordnance Survey map (25in, 1887) (S2). This area was already partly wooded in 1946 and some of the ditches recorded are only visible as lines in the trees. The small group of ditches and banks centred on TG 3511 2565 lay in an unwooded area but were not marked on the Ordnance Survey map. A northwest - southeast aligned ditch and three broadly east - west ditches were recorded in the western field, centred on TG 3479 2552. These features were visible as light soilmarks in 1946 due to their silt fills and are not shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey (25in, 1887), see (S2).
See (S1-2).
J. Albone (NMP) 5 February 2004.