NHER 38498 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Earthworks of post medieval water meadows

March 2004, Norfolk NMP
The ditches, and perhaps some of the banks, of a post-medieval water meadow are visible as earthworks and/or vegetation marks on vertical aerial photographs from 1946 (S1-2), centred at TG 2233 3588. They have been mapped from the 1946 photographs, but are also partially visible on later aerial photographs (S3-4). The lie on the west side of Hagon Beck, a tributary of Blackwater Beck and ultimately the River Bure. Like most floated water meadows, they are probably post-medieval in date, but a number of the drains have continued in use into the 20th century.

A main drain is visible, aligned parallel to Hagon Beck, from TG 2249 3604 to TG 2226 3570, and further ditches parallel to this may also have acted as the principal drains. Minor drains, forming a classic herring-bone pattern in places, are visible on each side of these. Closely spaced ditches at right angles to the main drains are also probably minor drains. Areas where parallel drains of different alignments appear to overlie each other (e.g. at TG 2247 3594) may indicate that the system was reorganised at some point during its history.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 10 March 2004