NHER 43708 (Monument record) - A group of post-medieval peat or turf extraction pits

September 2005. Norfolk NMP.
A group of post-medieval turf ponds are visible on aerial photographs on North Hills Marshes to the east of Hickling Priory (S1). The site is centred on TG 4281 2425. These elongated shallow cuttings are located next to the earlier medieval peat cutting or ‘Broad’ that is marked on Faden’s map of 1797 (NHER 35363). Other areas of elongated post-medieval cuttings are visible to the east NHER 43709.

In 1943 the site consists of a series of shallow oblong cuts, of varying lengths, but all approximately 10m wide (the wider feature appears to be two conjoined cuts). Vegetation has encroached on the surface of these turf ponds. The date of these cuttings is not known as the cutting of surface peat continued into the early twentieth century (S2; p81), although a post-medieval date is most likely given the level of encroachment.
S. Massey (NMP), 30 September 2005.