NHER 42420 (Monument record) - Medieval to post medieval drainage ditches, banks and channels

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
Earthworks of curvilinear and linear drainage ditches and channels of medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S1 to S5). These earthworks extend over a large area and are centred on TG 4736 0734. The main element of this group of earthworks comprises of curvilinear ditches and banks that closely follow the course of an extant drainage ditch. This ditch marks the course of the Northern Rond, a major natural channel across the marshland (S6), which was later incorporated in the drainage system. The ditches and banks extend for approximately 3.6km on a roughly west to east alignment between TG 4600 0903 to TG 4876 0835. Earthworks of several former channels and successive levee banks are present along its route. The importance and early date of the Northern Rond channel is supported by that fact that it formed the boundary of five former parishes (Runham and detached parts of Cantley, South Walsham, Postwick and Acle).

Numerous curvilinear and linear ditches lead into the main curvilinear ditch. At TG 4711 0865 a separate ditch branches off of the main channel towards the northeast. The main part of this ditch extends for approximately 950m on a curving west to east alignment between TG 4741 0882 and TG 4830 0861. Its is flanked by narrow earthwork banks along part of its length and is cut by the Norwich to Great Yarmouth railway line that opened in 1883. At the western end of this section it is joined by a curvilinear ditch from the north and a linear ditch from the south. The curvilinear ditch to the north is cut by the Norwich to Great Yarmouth turnpike road which was constructed in the 1820s. It is likely that these ditches represent the medieval and post medieval drainage pattern prior to the construction of the road and railway. It is possible that the smaller curvilinear ditches also originated as natural channels. It is likely that the linear drainage ditches are mainly of post medieval date.
J. Albone (NMP), 23 January 2006

November 2013.
Google Earth imagery from 1999 (S7) suggests these earthworks may have been plough levelled in some places.
K. Powell (HES), 18 November 2013.