NHER 45154 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of post medieval field boundaries

October 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a large area of post medieval field boundaries are visible to the north of Browston Hall (S1- S9). The site is centred on TG 5044 0198. These are part of a much wider spread of post medieval field boundaries within this area; NHER 45056 to the east, largely divided by the Hobland Lane, and NHER 45155 to the south, separated by the Hobland Road. These boundaries to the north of the Hall are possibly overlain by a post medieval road or track (NHER 45152), which is at least late eighteenth century, although the relationship is not certain.

The majority of the boundaries form rectilinear fields and are arranged either parallel or perpendicular to those existing in the modern landscape and those depicted on the 1838 Belton Tithe map (S9). The bank and ditch boundary running from TG 5047 0225 to TG 5084 0233 (S2, S4) follows the line of a boundary, now removed, which is marked on the Tithe map. The boundaries visible on the aerial photographs reveal a more complex system of fields and enclosures, in particular at TG 5040 0166 and TG 5049 0193, some of which are linked by trackways and multiple ditched boundaries. This more complicated and highly enclosed field system is likely to represent the pre-parliamentary enclosure post medieval landscape.
S. Massey (NMP), 16 October 2006.

May 2018. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed route of Lound to Gorleston Water Pipeline.
The various trenches excavated included several placed over or near cropmarks in this group.
An east-north-east to south-south-west aligned cropmark at TG 5025 0198 was found to have a corresponding ditch which produced a tiny scrap of Late Prehistoric pottery and several small pieces of flint debitage. Two adjacent parallel cropmarks appeared to have no surviving sub-surface remains.
A group of parallel east-north-east to west-south-west aligned ditches at TG 5021 0221 appear to have potentially continued the line of the substantial cropmark mapped as running between TG 5047 0225 and TG 5083 0235. This particular cropmark is one of those that coincides with former field boundaries depicted on the Belton tithe map of 1838 (S9).
An undated, east-to-west aligned, shallow possible ditch at TG 5018 0244 was potentially a continuation of a feature associated with one of several, parallel, similarly-aligned cropmarks recorded to the east.
Further south an east-north-east to west-south-west aligned ditch at TG 5029 0167 potentially continued the line of a similarly-aligned cropmark to the west. A retouched flint flake was recovered from this feature and a sample from its fill produced a small amount of burnt bone.
One of the pair of parallel cropmarks at TG 5028 0153 was also found to be associated with a surviving ditch.
See NHERs 63596, 63597 and 63598 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 October 2019.

June to September 2018. Excavation and Watching Brief.
Additional fieldwork undertaken immediately prior to and during installation of Lound to Gorleston Water Pipeline.
A number of corresponding ditches were identified, although as during the preceding work dating evidence was generally absent. The one notable exception was an east-north-east to west-south-west ditch at TG 5030 0182 that produced 141 sherds of Roman pottery. This cropmark at least therefore represents an element of an earlier field system. It is possible that it was contemporary with the nearby trackway recorded under NHER 45174.
Undated ditches associated with cropmarks in this group were identified at TG 5022 0212, TG 5025 0200, TG 5025 0198, TG 5026 0195, TG 5026 0194 and TG 5028 0167. The last of these was the feature that had produced the burnt bone during the proceeding work and cut a north-west to south-east aligned ditch of probable Late Iron Age or early Roman date.
There was no evidence for surviving features associated with the cropmarks at TG 5023 0206, TG 5025 0199, TG 5030 0179 and TG 5028 0153.
See NHERs 63597, 63598 and 63728 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 17 October 2019.

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 (S10) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 22 March 2023.