NHER 27966 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Possible Bronze Age barrow group

October 2002. Norfolk NMP.
A group of possible round barrows is visible on OS aerial photographs from 1969 (S1). The site consists of four round mounds visible within the dense vegetation on Salthouse heath. A great deal of caution needs to be applied to the interpretation of these as barrows. The mounds may be clusters of vegetation or large gorse bushes. The heath also had a massive amount of military training and activity, both during World War Two and after, therefore it is always possible that these mounds are the result of military action. The largest mound of the group is located at TG 0726 4232. It is not perfectly circular in plan, being slightly oval and measuring 8 to 9m across. To the immediate west of this is another, smaller mound at TG 0724 4232, measuring 6.5 to 7.5m across. To the north is another possible mound at TG 0727 4235, measuring 5.5 to 6m wide. Another mound was identified to the south at TG 0725 4227 measuring 6 to 6.5m across. The whole of Salthouse heath is covered in evidence of Bronze Age barrows, ranging from large embanked barrows (NHER 6202) to the small ‘mini’ barrows of the later Bronze Age cremation cemetery to the west (NHER 6212), often only being 3 to 4m in diameter. The size of the mound identified within this site as possible barrows fit well into this massive size range. Further on-ground investigation of these sites is needed to ascertain the nature of these ‘mounds’ and whether they are indeed archaeological or vegetation.
S. Massey (NMP), 12 May 2003.