NHER 27792 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Probable sea defence bank

March 2003. Norfolk NMP.
The remains of a probable sea defence bank is visible in the saltmarsh to the east of the channel at Cley next the Sea. These can be seen on RAF aerial photographs from 1946 (S1 to S2) and 1952 (S3 to S4), and Ordnance Survey images from 1973 (S5). The remains of this bank are located just to the channel side of the current bank and they appear to be aligned with part of it, implying that it was the old line of this defence.
The date it was in use is unknown. It had clearly been out of use for some time prior to the 1946 aerial photographs and on the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map (S6) the route the bank follows at this point is the same as today. All this suggests that these remains are of at least post medieval date.
H. Clare (NMP), 18 March 2003.

May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 11), Context 888:
A bank was recorded in Cow Hole saltmarshes between points TG 04589 44278 and TG 04706 44346. It had a broad V shape in plan, was up to 1m wide and measured up to 0.4m in height.
See assessment report (S7) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
J. Allen (NLA), 20 April 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2019.