NHER 43760 (Monument record) - Possible cropmark enclosure, trackway and field boundaries of unknown date

March 2005. Norfolk NMP.
A group of cropmark ditches, interpreted as field boundaries, a possible enclosure and a trackway of unknown, but possibly Iron Age to Roman date, are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Eastfield Farm, Hickling (S1). The site is centred on TG 4359 2354, although this point does not correspond to an archaeological feature on the ground. Another group of similarly aligned ditches nearby have been interpreted as being Iron Age to Roman date field boundaries (NHER 43743). A sherd of Roman pottery has also been found nearby (NHER 12457).

The main cluster of cropmarks is located at TG 4355 2350 and consists of a series of roughly parallel ditches; two of which are quite closely set and may represent a trackway. This feature runs towards a possible incomplete, rectilinear enclosure, centred on TG 4356 2348. This is suggested by two L-shaped sections of ditch, 48m apart. At the northeastern end of the site is another possible trackway, running in the prevalent direction of the recorded ditches.

Some caution must be applied to the interpretation of these parallel linear features as field boundaries, as due to their location on the end of the slightly raised strip of land, they may represent drainage features. See NHER 43712 to the immediate north for similar linears interpreted as post medieval drains.
S. Massey (NMP), 29 March 2005.