NHER 45000 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmark of a possible Bronze Age double ring ditch

August 2006. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of a possible incomplete double ring ditch, probably relating to a Bronze Age round barrow, are visible on aerial photographs (S1). These cropmarks are located at TM 3539 9300. Only the western half of the possible ring ditch is visible as a cropmark. If it were complete the outer ditch would have a circular plan with a narrow ditch and an external diameter of 16m. The inner ditch is located off centre and also has a narrow ditch with a 10m external diameter. It is possible that this ring ditch is of Bronze Age date and that it relates to a round barrow. The off centre ring ditch may indicate that it was constructed in several different phases. It lies on the parish boundary between Broome and Ellingham. Parish boundaries are sometimes aligned on Bronze Age round barrows, suggesting that the barrow mound was still a significant landscape feature when the boundary was established. The Broome and Ditchingham parish boundary, which continues the same alignment, crosses an extant round barrow 2.2km to the southwest (NHER 10624). However, it is possible that this parish boundary follows, or runs alongside, the line of a Roman road (see NHER 48885). If this is the case, its relationship to the round barrow earthworks and cropmarks is uncertain. A curvilinear ditch, possibly marking the parish boundary is present to the southwest of the double ring ditch cropmark (NHER 45002). The ring ditch cropmark lies on a south-facing slope at 20m OD. A second ring ditch, possibly also of Bronze Age date, is present 150m to the east (NHER 11678).
J. Albone (NMP), 21 August 2006.