NHER 45017 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of undated, medieval and post medieval field boundaries, linear and curvilinear ditches and a trackway

October 2006. Norfolk NMP
Cropmarks of undated, medieval and post medieval field boundaries, linear and curvilinear ditches and a trackway or path are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S3). These cropmarks are centred on TM 3658 9226 and were previously partly recorded as NHER 40646. In the eastern part of this group of cropmarks are a series of roughly north to south and west to east aligned field boundary ditches. These represent a continuation of a medieval to post medieval rectilinear field system present further to the east (NHER 45192). The southern limit of these fields is formed by an extant field boundary that continues to Church Road in the east as a linear cropmark. The most complete fields, in the southern part of this group measure 125m by 68m and 144m by 95m. The northern part of these fields is crossed by a number of linear and curvilinear ditch cropmarks of unknown date. A cropmark of a 3m square enclosure with rounded corners is located at TM 3671 9243. It is divided into two equal halves by an internal ditch and could relate to a small structure of unknown date. These cropmarks were located in an area of enclosed land around Ellingham village. They were surrounded by areas of common land to the northeast and southwest, which are marked on Faden’s 1797 Map of Norfolk (S4). A linear ditch cropmark that extends between TM 3664 9242 and TM 3674 9245 may possibly define the edge of the common land.

To the west of the rectilinear fields are linear and curvilinear ditch cropmarks on roughly southwest to northeast alignments. These include a curvilinear ditch that extends for 310m between TM 3633 9208 to TM 3651 9233. It is possible that this cropmark relates to a natural watercourse, which may have functioned as a field boundary. Other linear and curvilinear ditches are present on roughly parallel alignments. To the east of Church Road these appear to form a fragmentary curvilinear field system. One of the curvilinear ditch cropmarks extends between TM 3661 9229 and TM3681 9236 and overlaps the medieval to post medieval rectilinear fields. The possible curvilinear field system is cut by Church Road, Station Road and Mill Road. All three of these roads were shown in their present position on Faden’s 1797 map (S4). It is likely that the field system is of an early, possibly pre-medieval, date. Cropmarks of a possible trackway or path are present on a northwest to southeast alignment between TM 3629 9228 and TM 3654 9210. The north-western end of this is present as two parallel ditches spaced 2m apart either side of a compacted or metalled surface. However, the majority of its course is only present as a single linear cropmark. It appears to continue the line of Station Road to its northwest and corresponds roughly to a footpath marked on the first edition 6 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey (S5). Further cropmarks of medieval to post medieval field boundaries, common-edge boundaries and enclosures are present to the north (NHER 14687) and east (NHER 45192). These cropmarks are cut by a north to south aligned linear cropmark relating to a modern pipeline.
J. Albone (NMP), 24 October 2006.

July-August 2011. Watching brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with construction of new housing development.
Revealed early medieval agricultural features including pits, boundary ditches and a post-medieval or early modern property boundary.
See report (S6) and NHER 61056 for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S7)
S. Howard (HES), 12 December 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 22 July 2015.