NHER 45103 (Monument record) - Site of drains, field boundaries and trackway of probable post medieval date

October 2006. Norfolk NMP.
Some of the cropmarks described below were previously recorded as NHER 17680.

Linear and curvilinear banks and ditches are visible as cropmarks and soilmarks on aerial photographs (S1)-(S10). (One ditch is visible as an earthwork between TG 4371 1799 and TG 4370 1787). They lie to either side of a substantial dyke that drains northwards into the River Thurne. The majority of the mapped features are likely to have been drains and/or field boundaries that fed into this drainage system. At least one probable trackway is visible (between TG 4353 1800 and TG 4380 1761). Although several different alignments are evident, these are as likely to reflect variations in the direction of slope, as they are multiple phase of activity. The general character, appearance and orientation of the majority of the features, which is similar across the site, suggests that they all belong to a single phase, albeit one which may have extended over a considerable period of time. The fact that the general pattern of the features conforms to the field pattern depicted on 19th century maps, and that at least one bank and ditch (between TG 4309 1744 and TG 4320 1728) corresponds with a Tithe Map boundary (S11), suggests that a post medieval date for the site is most likely. At the same time, however, some elements could be of relatively recent origin, perhaps being the product of modern agricultural activity, for example, while others could have earlier origins. There is no evidence for a Roman date for that part of the site previously recorded as NHER 17680, although material of this date, and of every other period, has been recovered from the vicinity (e.g. NHER 34983 and 33268).

It should be noted that some of the aerial photographs used for mapping were difficult to rectify due to an inadequate number of control points. This may have had an adverse effect on the accuracy of the mapping. This is particularly the case for those features visible on (S10), which appear at the edge of the photo.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 23 October 2006.