NHER 45195 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of unknown date

October 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a group of undated rectilinear enclosures and linear ditched boundaries are visible on aerial photographs to the north of Browston Hall (S1-S3). It is possible is that these enclosures are Roman in date. An alternative interpretation is that these features are associated with the post medieval formal gardens to the south (NHER 11434). These cropmarks are located within an extremely complex area of cropmarks dating from the late prehistoric onwards, see NHER 17226 for details. Excavation would be required to date any of these cropmark features properly. The site is centred on TG 5013 0200.

The site consists of a series of incomplete rectilinear enclosures and associated boundary ditches, which are broadly aligned the same as the surrounding post medieval and modern field layout. It is therefore possible that these features are associated with the formal gardens (NHER 11434) associated with the Hall to the immediate south. However on the 1783 Hodskinson map and the 1797 Faden map the landscaped area surrounding Browston Hall does not extend as far north as this location (S4-S5). The gardens to the south have been interpreted as being possibly seventeenth century (NHER 11434) and it is possible that there had been a contraction in the size of the landscaped area around the house during the eighteenth century. It is also possible that these enclosed areas represent late medieval to post medieval stock enclosures or enclosed agricultural fields that pre-date the existing post medieval layout.

However it is possible that these rectilinear enclosures and associated ditched boundaries are much earlier in date, potentially Roman. The incomplete rectilinear or sub-rectangular enclosure, 56m by at least 30m, suggested by the cropmarks at TG 5020 0205, has several characteristics that could imply a Roman date, namely the rounded corner and internal subdivisions. This does appear to be cut by the post medieval field boundaries, also indicating a possibly earlier date. The ditch fragments to the west may reveal further rectilinear enclosure features.
S. Massey (NMP), 23 October 2006.

March 2023. Assessment of the Character and Significance of East Anglian Field Systems project.
The site described above was included in the dataset analysed for the Historic England-funded Assessment of East Anglian Field Systems project. See the project report (S6) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 22 March 2023.