NHER 43711 (Monument record) - Post medieval drainage ditches, Brayden Marshes

September 2005. Norfolk NMP.
A large group of drainage ditches and boundaries are visible on aerial photographs on the Brayden Marshes and surrounding area, Hickling and Horsey (S1-S3). The site is centred on TG 4423 2287. All of these drainage ditches appear to relate to a layout that pre-dates the early Nineteenth century scheme marked on the Horsey Enclosure map of 1816 (S4). The main drainage channels are consistent with the layout marked on the 1797 Faden map (S5), which are likely to be adaptations of natural sinuous drainage creeks.

The drainage ditches on the north of Brayden Marshes consist of two slightly curvilinear parallel drains and embankments that feed into the Hickling Wall to the north. These appear to cut through several areas of possible medieval clay extraction, see NHER 43713 for details. The original continuation of these channels is possibly visible at southern end of Brayden Marsh, as a meandering channel running from TG 4416 2250 and then forking into two channels, one going to the south to TG 4446 2197 and another to the east to TG 4449 2222. To the west of this is another pair of curvilinear and meandering channels. It is likely that these were all originally natural creeks that have been incorporated into the medieval to post-medieval drainage system. Although at least one of these drains appears to cut across a probable medieval peat or clay extraction area (NHER 32157), indicating that it is likely to be late medieval to post-medieval in date. Two other sections of curvilinear and irregular channels are visible to the north.

The Waxham New Cut (NHER 35366), which ran from the northern end of Horsey Mere to Lound Bridge in the north, runs along the eastern end of the marshes. This was cut in the 1920s (S6; p142-3), however the section running from Horsey Mere appears to be marked on the 1816 Horsey Enclosure map (S4). Is possible that the route was planned and marked out at this point, but was not dug in its entirety until the 1920s. It seems most likely that the large-scale drainage ditches and embankments visible on the aerial photographs reveal the layout of the Brayden Marshes, prior to the planning and construction of the New Cut.

To the east of the Hickling and Horsey parish border are further drainage ditches, which also represent a pre-Enclosure phase of boundaries. One of these drains appears to feed into former Broad, see NHER 35127 for details. These are all running diagonally to the more regular grid pattern of drains, which are associated with the 1808 Enclosure of Hickling and cutting of the Commissioner Drain (S6; p 96-7).
S. Massey (NMP), 31 September 2005.