NHER 49239 (Monument record) - Possible saltern mounds

October 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The earthworks of possible late Saxon to medieval salterns are visible on aerial photographs alongside the River Yare on the Reedham Marshes (S1). The site is centred on TG 4632 0452. It is possible that these represent mounds of salt production waste, which may have been fed by tidal waters inundating the river prior to the silting up of the estuary mouth or perhaps. An alternative explanation is that these mounds are the result of dyke or drain clearance.

The mounds are fairly sub-circular or amorphous in shape and vary in size, up to 25m across. The shape of these mounds is reminiscent of those mounds of salt production waste recorded within the Wash, although these Reedham examples are significantly smaller in size. The discrete shape of the mounds could represent four different episodes of either salt production or drain clearance.
S. Massey (NMP), 23 October 2006.