NHER 48885 (Monument record) - Possible line of a Roman boundary or road

October 2006.
It is possible that the line of the parish boundary between Broome and the neighbouring parishes of Ditchingham and Ellingham is of Roman origin. The parish boundary follows a straight line on the same alignment on both the west and east sides of Broome parish. The line of the Broome and Ditchingham parish boundary runs in a straight line across Broome Heath for over 1km to the northeast from TM 3430 9089 before joining Loddon Road at TM 3487 9193. The road then continues the same alignment for 220m before turning north at TM 3497 9214 to cross Broome Beck. After crossing the beck the road rejoins the same alignment at TM 3517 9248. The Broome and Ellingham parish boundary joins the road at TM 3520 9255 and the two are contiguous for a further 330m. At TM 3532 9284 the road turns to the north but the parish boundary continues in a straight line for a further 200m until it meets Bungay Road at TM 3540 9304. The total distance of this straight alignment is 2.4km.

Archaeological excavations to the southeast of the parish boundary alignment (NHER 36289 and S2) dated part of a rectilinear field system known from cropmarks to the Roman period (NHER 36363). The field system lays 230m to the southeast of the parish boundary and has the same southwest to northeast alignment. This alignment is also the same as that of Yarmouth Road, the modern A143, to the southeast of the field system. The excavation report suggested that the origin of that road might also be Roman (S2).

It has been suggested that a footpath across Broome Heath, which lies just to the north of the parish boundary, follows the line of a Roman road (S1). However, the evidence to support this claim is uncertain. A road along this alignment would certainly be reasonable as its southwest end would join the northwest to southeast aligned Stone Street Roman road (NHER 10636) just before it crossed the River Waveney. It would also explain the alignment of the parish boundary on either side of Broome Beck. Earthworks of a possible road have been identified just to the south of the parish boundary on Broome Heath (NHER 44816). However, the presence of the extant round barrow earthwork on the line parish boundary on Broome Heath (NHER 10624) makes it difficult to see how a road could have followed this exact alignment. An alternative suggestion is that the parish boundary followed an earlier Roman boundary, probably part of the same field system as NHER 36363, which had respected and used the Bronze Age round barrows in its alignment.
J. Albone (NMP), 30 October 2006.

November 2006.
The possible route of a Roman road or boundary described above, has in fact been previously suggested by Alan Davison in (S3).
J. Albone (NMP), 23 November 2006.