NHER 27173 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmark of possible Neolithic long barrow or mortuary enclosure

October 2002. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a possible Neolithic long barrow or mortuary enclosure are visible on NLA oblique aerial photographs from 1994 (S1-2) and 1996 (S3). The monument is centred on TG 0707 4122 and was formerly recorded under site SMR 33526, cropmarks of a probable Iron Age enclosure site. The oval or oblong enclosure is 21.5 m long and 11.5m across. The long axis sides appear to be almost straight. The ditch around the eastern end of the enclosure seems to be much wider, than the rest of the monument; these sections of ditch are roughly 1m wide. There appears to be two breaks in the ditch, to the north and east of the enclosure. These gaps are 1-1.5m across. Two much narrower, parallel and continuous ditches define the western end of the enclosure. The outer ditch appears slightly wider, although this itself only appears to be 1m wide or less. It is not clear whether these changes in the appearance of the enclosure are representative of the original structure and sub-surface deposits or whether differential ploughing caused by the sloping of the field, has disturbed the western end of the enclosure more then the east. There also appears to be three possible internal features, centred on TG 0708 4122. These may well be geological deposits, however, due to their possible location within the enclosure these were mapped as potential archaeological features. The morphology of this cropmark would imply that it is the ploughed out remains of a possible Neolithic long barrow. Although it is quite small for a monument of this class and date. Several other cropmarks and earthworks of oval and oblong enclosures have been identified in Norfolk and some of these have similarly small dimensions when compared with national trends. For example Tuttington (NHER 7545) which measures 26m by 16m, which is only marginally larger than the Cley cropmark example. Lawson et al (S4) felt that these might be examples of Norfolk’s Neolithic funerary tradition. The oblong enclosure mapped also bears many similarities to those cropmarks identified in Lincolnshire during the aerial mapping. Here the oblong mounds were between 28-76m long and 12-25m wide (S5). These were also thought to represent examples of a type of Neolithic elongated enclosures, barrows and mortuary enclosures (S6). These comparisons appear to suggest that the Cley oblong enclosure may be the remains of a monument of the long barrow tradition despite its small dimensions.The possible barrow is aligned northwest-southeast. It appears to be aligned along the slope down into a valley to the west. The monument is located around the 50m contour, near the top of the slope, but not on the actually highest point. However, this positioning just off the higher ground would potentially allow for the monument to be viewed from the valley floor. To the immediate west of the enclosure is a slight gully leading down into the valley, this provides a good view of the area to the north-west from the monument.
S. Massey (NMP), 3 January 2003.