NHER 45170 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Possible pair of cropmark ring ditches, Hopton on Sea.

October 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a pair of ring ditches, potentially the remains of Bronze Age round barrows or round houses, are visible on aerial photographs to the northwest of Oak Farm, Hopton on Sea (S1). The site is centred on TG 5074 0084. This ring ditches are located within an area of complex and overlapping enclosures and field boundaries, dating from the late prehistoric to the Roman period. Other round barrows have been recorded within this area (NHER 17225, 45168-73), although these two ring ditches are noticeably smaller than those nearby. All of the ring ditches located on the eastern side of plateau defined by the 15m contour. The round barrows are all positioned on or near to this contour, either on the plateau edge or valley side. This particular barrow is located slightly lower on the valley side than the rest, halfway in-between the 10m and 15m contours. A sinuous trackway runs through this barrow group (NHER 43544), a late prehistoric origin for this track has been suggested and it is possible that it is sited on the round barrows.

The eastern ring ditch is 8m in diameter and the western ring is 11.5m. Both features have been sketched plotted due to lack of suitable control on the aerial photograph to perform a rectification. The cropmarks were located using the geological markings visible on other rectified photographs as a guide. The true size, shape and location may therefore differ from the mapping.

The smaller size of these ring ditches could indicate that they are not round barrows, instead it is possible that they may be the eavesdrip gullies of prehistoric or Roman round houses. The ring ditches are located within an area of enclosures and fields of unknown, but possibly Iron Age to Roman date (NHER 45174).
S. Massey (NMP), 19 October 2006.