NHER 45128 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of a medieval to post medieval road, field boundaries and pits

October 2006. Norfolk NMP
Cropmarks of a medieval to post medieval road, field boundaries and pits are visible on aerial photographs (S1). These cropmarks are centred on TG 3077 1016. Cropmarks of a road are present for up to 370m on a curving roughly south to north alignment. The southern part is visible as two parallel ditch cropmarks that curve northeastwards from TG 3072 1002. These are spaced 6.5m apart and define the edges of the road. As the road continues northwards down the slope towards the Witton Run watercourse it becomes a 9m wide hollow way that is visible as a positive cropmark. The hollow way continues for a further 150m to the north of the watercourse as it rises back up the other side of the small valley. Where the hollow way meets the watercourse it broadens out to 25m. A triangular negative cropmark is visible in the centre of the hollow way at this point on both sides of the channel. It is likely that this represents stonework or a compacted road surface on the approach to either a ford or bridge over the Witton Run. This road is marked on the 1797 and 1826 county maps by Faden (S4) and Bryant (S5) but is not shown on later maps. It is likely that it is of medieval to early post medieval date.

To the south of the Witton Run and to the east of the road are linear ditch cropmarks. These are aligned perpendicular to the road and are likely to be field boundaries of medieval to early post medieval date. To the west of the road at TG 3066 1017 are incomplete rectilinear enclosure cropmarks. These have a similar alignment to the field boundaries to the east of the road, and are possibly also contemporary with the road. A group of irregular pit cropmarks are present along the western side of the road to the south of the river. It is possible that these are extraction pits for road building materials. One of the pits is half-enclosed by a C-shaped ditch and is recorded separately (NHER 45167).
J. Albone (NMP), 19 October 2006