NHER 42181 (Monument record) - Probable post medieval land drains

November 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Parallel linear ditches are visible as cropmarks and earthworks on aerial photographs (S1), (S2) and (S3), centred at TG 4716 2329. Only their extent, rather than the individual ditches, has been mapped by the NMP. The ditches are oriented almost parallel with the coastline and a post medieval drain, which is still extant, to their south. Their close and regular spacing (approximately 20m apart) and alignment with other nearby drains suggests that they are post medieval or even modern land drains, probably a form of underdraining, a practice widely adopted in East Anglia during the 18th and 19th centuries (for example see Williamson 1999 (S4)). This indicates that although this area of Horsey Dunes has been characterised as relatively unimproved freshwater fen, some agricultural improvement has been undertaken here, presumably to improve the grazing. There are also several less regular drains or tracks which cut across the underdraining at a more-or-less perpendicular angle; these have the relatively fresh appearance of modern features.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 22 November 2005.