NHER 39117 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of enclosures and linear features of unknown date

December 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A group of cropmark rectilinear enclosures and associated linear features are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Compit Hills, Roughton (S1-3). These cropmarks are likely to represent domestic enclosures and fields of unknown definite date. Although the morphology of the features would suggest a possible Iron Age to Romano-British date. The northern part of this site has since been developed into a housing estate.

The site is centred on TG 2160 4036, although the main area of the cropmarks is centred on TG 2159 4031. The cropmarks appear to be located on slight knoll of higher land, which is itself situated on a spur of higher land.

The cropmarks are quite fragmentary in their nature, although it is possible to postulate several elements to the site. Centred on TG 2160 4036 are two relatively broad ditches, up to 2m wide (S2), which may be defining the two opposing corners of a rectangular enclosure, potentially measuring up to 35m across. This appears to have conjoined enclosures and ditches to the south and west. These consist of a series of elongated enclosed areas, up to 100m long and 25m wide, with possible trackways, both approximately 7m wide, running alongside (S1-2). At TG 2153 4030 is a possible square enclosure, 20m across (S1). This series of enclosures and co-axial linears would appear to represent a field system with integrated trackways leading into larger enclosed areas. The main set of features would appear to be roughly aligned along the same axis of as the possible broader ditched rectangular enclosure to the north, although there is some alteration in the line, which could indicate that these two components of the site are not directly related or contemporary. There are several linear ditches, which appear to cut across the field system and tracks, again suggesting the palimpsest nature of the site.

A second area of cropmark is centred on TG 2172 4046 (S1). These also appear to represent conjoined linears and enclosed areas, which appear to have a broadly similar alignment to the rest of the site. The more angular cropmarks to the west, centred on TG 2168 4046, may need to be treated with an element of suspicion as the area had been heavily disturbed by recent agricultural practices (S1).

These features were visible as fragmentary linear cropmarks visible on a variety of aerial photographs from different years. Therefore the plan of the site is extremely composite and features such as agricultural linears and intrusive geological elements may have been unintentionally including in the mapping. Some further possible cropmarks were visible, centred on TG 2147 4043, were not mapped as their archaeological origin was doubtful.
S. Massey (NMP), 17 December 2004.

November 2018. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
Although that southern half of this group fell within the area examined no corresponding anomalies were identified. This area was though dominated by magnetic disturbance (caused by either ferrous material within 'green waste' or other modern debris) which potentially obscured responses associated with buried remains. It should also be noted that the survey of the field to the east (NHER 68676) failed to identify any trace of two former field boundaries shown on 19th-century maps – suggesting conditions were possibly not particularly conducive to the production of measurable magnetic anomalies.
Information from draft report. See NHER 68676 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 October 2024.