NHER 42107 (Monument record) - Earthwork of a small rectangular enclosure

November 2005. Norfolk NMP.
An earthwork of a small rectangular enclosure of probable medieavl to post medieval date is visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2). This enclosure is located at TG 4649 1012. A rectangular ditch defined enclosure is present in the marshland to the north of the River Bure. It measures 13m by 7m and has rounded corners. It is cut in half by a roughly north to south aligned drainage ditch, which was not mapped. Similar enclosures are present in the marshland to the south and east. Information from [1] suggests that these enclosures are probably sheep cotes. They were used to pen sheep overnight so that their manure could be collected. The manure was then transported from the marshes for use as fertiliser on arable fields elsewhere (S3). The field containing this enclosure was under arable cultivation by 1988 and the earthworks had been levelled (S4).
J. Albone (NMP), 02 November 2005