NHER 43612 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of a ring ditches forming a barrow cemetery

May 2006. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of four ring ditches, forming part of a dispersed Bronze Age barrow cemetery are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S12). These cropmarks are centred on TM 3048 8786 and were previously recorded as part of NHER 11676. The most northerly ring ditch in this group is located at TM 3052 8791. It has a sub-circular plan with a 2m wide ditch and an external diameter of 19m. A second ring ditch is located 45m to its southwest at TM 3049 3087. This ring ditch has a circular plan with a narrow ditch and a 10m diameter. In the southwest of the group at TM 3043 8785 and TM 3046 8780 are two more ring ditches. These are both sub-circular in plan with 1m to 2m wide ditches and external diameters of 19m and 21m. It is likely that these ring ditches are of Bronze Age date and that they relate to round barrows. Cropmarks of small pits are present within the three largest ring ditches in this group. It is possible that these pits are graves. However, other large pit cropmarks are also present around the ring ditches (NHER 43613). The northeastern ring ditch is also cut by linear ditch cropmarks, possibly forming part of an undated field system (NHER 43613). These ring ditches are located on the terrace of the River Waveney at approximately 14m to 15m OD. They form part of a dispersed barrow cemetery, with other ring ditch cropmarks present to the east (NHER 43610-1) and northeast (NHER 43538-40).
J. Albone (NMP), 02 May 2006