NHER 27710 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Ring ditch group, possible post medieval stack stands

A NUMBER OF THESE FEATURES WERE ORIGINALLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 13293. THIS SITE HAS SINCE BEEN SPLIT INTO ITS CONSTITUENT PARTS.

September 2005. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of three ring ditches are visible on aerial photographs to the north of Lambridge Covert, Sea Palling (S1 to S3). The site is centred on TG 4326 2615. It is possible that these are the remains of low-lying Bronze Age barrows, however an alternative interpretation as post medieval stack stands is possibly more likely given the location. Other ring ditch sites have been identified on aerial photographs in close proximity to this site, see NHER 27703, 27709, and 27711 for detail, although the archaeological origin of 27709 is not definite.

The ring ditches are all quite small for Bronze Age barrow sites, all being between 10m to 13m in diameter, and are located at approximately 1m OD, just above the lower lying former fen. The location of the ring ditches is within an area of land marked as being distinct from the open unimproved and common fen to the west on Faden’s map of 1797 (S4) and land which certainly has a regular and rectilinear enclosure by the 1839 Palling Tithe map (S5). It is therefore possible that these ring ditches are the remains of post medieval stack stands, circular areas of drainage cut around stack bases. The size range of these ring ditches falls well within the general range of other circular features identified as possible stack stands from aerial photographs (S6, page 553 to 4).
S. Massey (NMP), 30 September 2005.