NHER 27339 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Probable Iron Age to Roman field system

June 1980. Aerial Photography.
Cromarks of a ring ditch and a trackway were identified on aerial photographs (S1).
An informant [1] has stated that this ring ditch is called South Grave, altough the name might derive from 'grove' rather than 'grave'.
These cropmarks were previously recorded under NHER 12166.
See record cards (S2).
Information has been transferred from entries made by:
D. Edwards (NAU), 8 June and 28 July 1982.
E. Rose (NAU), 28 November 1988.
Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 15 July 2019.

April 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Some of the cropmarks described below were previously recorded as NHER 12165 and 12166.

A field system of probable Iron Age to Roman date is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S3) to (S11), centred at TG 4871 1626. It is part of a larger cropmark complex (NHER 27259) comprising field systems, enclosures and trackways of various dates. Excavation along the line of the Bacton to Great Yarmouth gas pipeline (NHER 12165 and 34025; S12, Sites 7N and 7S; additional information from Sarah Bates, NAU) led to the tentative dating of some of the ditches and trackways to the Iron Age and/or Roman periods. In places, it was demonstrated that the features thought to belong to this phase were stratigraphically above elements of a second, probably Bronze Age field system, the cropmarks of which are recorded as NHER 27338.

The postulated Iron Age to Roman field system was laid out to the south of the main area of Bronze Age activity. While it cuts across some elements of the earlier system (e.g. at TG 4867 1654), others may have been incorporated into the new layout. What appears to be one of the principal components of the site is formed by a sinuous trackway, visible between TG 4866 1639 and TG 4892 1617. At its eastern end it joins to a ring ditch. The latter is probably a round house, a small stock enclosure or similar feature, as its relationship with the trackway suggests it is not part of the earlier barrow cemeteries visible to its west (NHER 27342) and east (NHER 27350). Its apparent association, however, with the placename South Grave (see NHER 12166) emphasises the fact that its origin is uncertain. To the south of, and perpendicular to, the trackway, a layout of rectilinear fields can be made out. These are comparable to other field systems of probable Iron Age to Roman date mapped in this part of the County (e.g. NHER 38499). To the northwest a less regular arrangement of boundaries is visible.

The field system is visible over an area measuring approximately 790m by 530m. Other ditches mapped in the surrounding area as part of NHER 27259 may date to the same phase of activity but are too fragmentary and dispersed to be recognisable.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 22 April 2005.