NHER 45158 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of medieval to post medieval field boundaries

October 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a large area of medieval to post medieval field boundaries are visible in-between Oaklands Farm and Valley Farm, Hopton on Sea (S1-S7). The site is centred on TG 5193 0117. These were located on and alongside the former Gorleston common. These land divisions form part of a much wider spread of post medieval field boundaries within this area; NHER 45155 to the west, NHER 45056 to the north and NHER 45159 to the south and east. However it is possible that some of these curvilinear boundaries have ancient origins.

These features 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. Within the southern area of this site are two additional groups of boundaries and enclosures (NHER 43559, 45163). It seems likely that NHER 45163 pre-dates these curvilinear boundaries and may be Iron Age to Roman in date. The chronological relationship with NHER 43559 is harder to establish. Around TG 5208 0093 the two systems appear to share some characteristics and alignments and the ditches appear to join in one location. Although other elements of NHER 43559 are obviously of a different date, in particular those to the southwest. It has been suggested that NHER 43559 may have late prehistoric or Iron Age origins, although some components may stay in use for a considerable period. Excavation is required to establish a stratigraphic and chronological sequence to this whole area of Hopton.

A curvilinear ditched boundary runs from TG 5167 0102 to TG 5199 0136 (S4) and this appears to define the southeastern edge of the Gorleston common as marked on the 1797 Faden map (S8). To the north of this curvilinear boundary is the northern section of a sinuous trackway (NHER 43501). Although undated, it has tentatively been suggested as being prehistoric in origin. It is certainly incorporated into the field system of possible Roman date (NHER 43495). The coincidence of this curvilinear trackway and the equally curvilinear boundary that defines the edge of the common could indicate that this land boundary between open grazing and enclosed land has an ancient and possibly prehistoric origin. It could be suggested that this division between open and enclosed land dates back to the Roman period, as possible Iron Age or late prehistoric features have been tentatively identified within the area of the common (NHER 43494), suggesting that it was not completely open land during this period. There are also some later boundaries visible within the common as defined in the late eighteenth century, which also run up to this possible ancient trackway; a pair of curvilinear bank and ditch boundaries running from the edge of the Hobland Plantation to the trackway. These are cut by the Sidegate Road, which is likely to be a more modern route, with the earlier lane running alongside the edge of the common and the Plantation to the west, as indicated by 1783 Hodskinson map (S9) and the cropmarks recorded to the west within NHER 41455. The parish boundary also runs alongside this former lane and then turns to the east and continues along the southern bank.

Along the eastern edge of the common is a series of curvilinear ditches that reflect the curve of the common land limits. These ditches define a curvilinear wedge-shaped area of land with smaller conjoined and rectilinear enclosures or paddocks to the south. These are probably stock enclosures. A number of other curvilinear boundaries and trackways are visible to the south of the common (S6). Running up in-between these trackways and the enclosures to the north is a straight section of road or track (NHER 45157). It is possible that the curvilinear boundaries pre-date this trackway or at least where not planned with reference to it, although one of the ditches does appear to terminate at the edge of the track.
S. Massey (NMP), 16 October 2006.

August-September 2011. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site to south of Sidegate Lane.
Seventeen trenches were excavated, six of which coincided with the pair of curvilinear bank and ditch boundaries running between TG 5154 0162 and TG 5196 0152. Both boundaries were found to be associated with reasonably substantial ditches and there was clear evidence that these were actually prehistoric, a Bronze Age hoard being recovered from the southern feature. This has been identified as an example of an 'ornament hoard' belonging to the Taunton phase of the Middle Bronze Age (c.1400-1250 BC) and comprises two complete quoit-headed pins, two complete spiral-twisted torcs, an incomplete spiral-twisted bracelet and an incomplete plain bracelet. The presence of such a hoard within a ditch is highly unusual but although the objects were clearly somewhat dispersed the fact that the torcs and pins were both found together in pairs would suggest that this was indeed where the hoard had been originally deposited. A number of Middle Bronze Age pottery sherds were also recovered close to the hoard, several of which probably from a Deverel-Rimbury type urn. Other finds from the two ditches were limited to tiny scraps of possible Middle Bronze Age pottery and a small number of worked flints.
A ditch was also found to be associated with the north-east to south-west aligned bank and ditch feature mapped at TG 5178 0170, although this produced no finds and remains undated.
See report (S10) and NHER 62748 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES) 7 June 2018.

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 (S11) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 22 March 2023.