NHER 44878 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Multi-period cropmarks

August 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of multi-period ditched cropmarks, the majority of which are probably field boundaries of unknown date, is visible on aerial photographs within the arable land in-between Burgh Road and Wash Lane, Burgh St Peter (S1-S10). The site is centred on TM 4758 9391. This record deals with all of the fragmentary unphased and undated cropmarks largely located in-between Burgh Road and Wash Lane in Burgh St Peter parish. The cropmarks of a probable Roman settlement (NHER 16005), a late prehistoric enclosure (NHER 44876), field system and trackway (NHER 4875), a possible Bronze Age round barrow (NHER 16004), some medieval to post medieval fields (NHER 44877) have all been recorded separately. The cropmarks recorded under this multi-period site do not appear to fit into these phases. Without further evidence it is impossible to offer any worthwhile interpretation of most of these features. Additional aerial photograph material or archaeological excavation would be needed to investigate this area further.

The site is quite dispersed, but there are three general concentrations of cropmarks at TM 4738 9420, TM 4730 9375 and TM 4808 9386. Most of the cropmarks consist of fragmentary ditches and linear features, some of which run parallel to one another and may represent double ditched boundaries or trackway segments, such as at TM 4740 9412 and TM 4738 9368. Towards the eastern end of the site, centred on TG 4808 9390, is a group of field boundaries suggesting an earlier field arrangement. It follows a similar alignment to the boundaries associated with the two possible Roman sites to the west (NHER 16005) and to the east (NHER 44880). It is therefore possible that these are broadly contemporary with settlement. At TM 4720 9386 is a small and irregular shaped enclosure, 9.5m across (S6). This appears to be positioned at the end of one of the field boundaries interpreted as being late prehistoric to Iron Age in date (NHER 44875). It is not clear whether this juxtaposition reflects an association and contemporaneity or whether it is just a palimpsest of two different periods of features.
S. Massey (NMP), 10 August 2006.

July 2023. Broads Hidden Heritage: Aerial Perspectives.
Additional elements of the undated, multi-phase cropmarks described above, are visible on Google Earth imagery from 2006 (S10). The limits of the site have been expanded to the west to incorporate them.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council, Historic Environment Service), 11 July 2023.