NHER 41942 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of a double-ditched square enclosure

August 2005. Aerial photography.
Medieval moated site.
Undated sub-rectangular enclosures and linear features in same field may be related, see NHER 41943.
J. Allen (NLA) 30 August 2005.

July 2007. Norfolk NMP
Cropmarks of a double-ditched square enclosure of possible Iron Age to Roman date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2). Cropmarks of a sub-square enclosure are visible as cropmarks. It is defined by 3.5m wide double ditches which are blurred into one broad cropmark in the south-west corner of the enclosure on (S1). The outer ditch is not visible as a cropmark on the north side of the enclosure The external dimensions the enclosure are 71m by 68m. Internally it measures 50m by 44m. The two ditches are separated by a possible bank measuring up to 4m in width. A faint possible ring ditch cropmark is present centrally within the enclosure (S2). A linear ditch cropmark extends from the south-west corner of the enclosure. This enclosure has previously been interpreted as a medieval moat. Although it is possible that it is of medieval date, its double-ditched form would be unusual for a moated site. It is possible that this interpretation was based on the south-west corner of the enclosure where the ditches appear a single broad feature. The form of this enclosure suggests that it is more likely to be of Roman, or possibly late Iron Age, date. It is likely that the ring ditch relates to a roundhouse and the enclosure could belong to a small farmstead of this period. Artefacts of Iron Age and Roman date have been found within 500m of this enclosure.
J. Albone (NMP), 04 July 2007