NHER 43559 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of field system of unknown date

October 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a large field system and enclosures of unknown date are visible on aerial photographs in-between Sidegate Farm, Valley Farm and Whitehouse Farm Cottage, Hopton on Sea (S1-S6). The site is centred on TG 5199 0055. Although undated, the plan of these cropmarks and their relationship with surrounding sites could indicate that some elements of the field system are late prehistoric or Iron Age in origin. The orientation of the enclosures and land parcels follow broadly the same alignment as the probable late prehistoric or Iron Age settlement and field system approximately 500m to the northeast (NHER 43494). Although a definite relationship cannot be proved from the available aerial photograph evidence due a break in features, partially due to the location of Valley Farm. However the enclosures and fields are much larger and more regular within the southern area and with more right-angled ditch intersections and corners. However some elements of the field system potentially survive until the medieval period.

To the immediate east of the field system is a small ladder-like arrangement of enclosures, with possible roundhouses in the interior (NHER 43525, 43528). This probable farmstead has been interpreted as being Iron Age to early Roman in date. The north-south alignment of the ladder of conjoined enclosures is the same as one of the field enclosures to the west, possibly indicating a degree of contemporaneity. On the other hand this field system also appears to have some links with the southeastern part of the possible Roman field system (NHER 43495), which appears to underlie or overlie the farmstead. It has been suggested that this part of the field system may be an earlier or later phase to the regular planned fields, see 43495 for details. This possible phasing within 43495 is suggested due to a change in the alignment of the roughly east-west boundaries to almost northwest-southeast. It is these northwest-southeast ditches that appear to follow the alignment of this field system to the west, possibly even joining up with it at TG 5205 0026. Despite this shared alignment the plan and characteristics of the two field systems are completely different. NHER 43559 is quite regular and rectilinear, with large open fields, whereas the southeastern parts of NHER 43495 are more irregular and piecemeal. It is therefore unlikely that the two systems are part of the same phase, rather the main structuring elements of one get incorporated into the other.

This field system and enclosures are located within an extremely complex area of cropmarks dating from the late prehistoric onwards. Given the complexity of this palimpsest of ditches it is possible that some have been misinterpreted chronologically. Centred on TG 5172 0063 is another group of enclosures and fields (NHER 45163), which may represent a separate, but related phase of enclosure, as some of the ditches are aligned the same and join with elements of the larger surrounding field system. The chronological relationship is not clear, although it is possible that NHER 45163 is earlier. To the north of the site one of the ditches appears to join with a group of enclosures thought to be medieval in date (NHER 45158). However these may much earlier origins, see record for details. Excavation is required to establish a stratigraphic and chronological sequence to this whole area of Hopton.

The site consists of a large group of conjoined enclosures and fields, with ditches aligned roughly NW-SE or NE- SW. These ditches define a series of large rectangular and rectilinear fields, up to 330m by 180m in size, although many are smaller, around 230m by 130m. Many of these vast fields are defined by double ditches, which are probably the remains of trackways and droves leading in-between the fields. Around the eastern edge of the site are several clusters of smaller enclosed areas, such as at TG 5206 0091, TG 5197 0030 and TG 5179 0004. Within these areas the enclosure units appear to be narrow strips of land, around 20-35m wide and between 40 to 120m long, with the smallest divisions located to the north of the site and the longest strips in the south. These smaller subdivisions of land are likely to reflect a different agricultural use or even domestic areas.
A ring ditch, 4m in diameter, is located to the immediate west of one of these areas of enclosures at TG 5191 0036 (S2). To the southwest of this is a small oblong enclosure, measuring 7m by 4.5m. The ring ditch may represent a round house, although the size is quite small for a domestic house and it may be a hut or even agricultural structure. Another ring ditch of comparable size is located to the north at TG 5210 0070 within one of the double ditches or trackways. A larger ring ditch, 9m in diameter, is located at TG 5192 0065 within one of the larger enclosures or fields, plus another at TG 5185 0094, 7m diameter, and just to the north of this is a small rectilinear enclosure, 12m by 7m. Further ring ditches are located to the north of this site (NHER 43558), these may also be round houses or agricultural structures however they are not obviously associated with an area of enclosures, see record for details.
S. Massey (NMP), 18 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 (S7) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 22 March 2023.