NHER 45076 (Monument record) - Possible site of peat or clay extraction

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Summary

A possible area of former peat or clay extraction, presumably of post-Roman date, is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs. The relatively limited area of wetter ground possesses several, more-or-less straight edges, suggesting it is a man-made feature. It is comparable to more extensive areas of former extraction identified further to the north, such as NHER 27280. If the site represents a former peat cutting, it is likely to date to the medieval period. There is little peat, however, in this part of the Thurne Valley, and the site is more likely to represent clay extraction. There were numerous clay pits in Martham parish in the post medieval period.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TG41NE
Civil Parish	MARTHAM, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

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Full Description

September 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A possible area of former extraction is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (S1), centred at TG 4518 1988. It could represent a former peat cutting, in which case it is presumably of medieval date. There is little peat, however, in this part of the Thurne Valley (see Williamson 1997 (S2), for example), whereas numerous clay pits existed in this area in the post medieval period, e.g. NHER 16664 350m to the southwest. At the same time, it is also possible that despite possessing a number of more-or-less straight sides, the mapped feature is of natural rather than human origin; it could, for example, represent part of a palaeochannel.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 26 September 2006.

Associated Sources (2)

<S1> SNF65474 Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1955. RAF 82/1214 (F22) 0365-6 06-JUN-1955 (NMR).
<S2> SNF52439 Monograph: Williamson, T.. 1997. The Norfolk Broads: A Landscape History.. p 13; Fig 3.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (5)

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Feb 22 2022 8:11AM