NHER 44880 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of possible Iron Age to Roman enclosures and fields

SOME OF THESE CROPMARKS WERE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 18349 AND 21771.

August 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of possible Iron Age to Roman enclosures and fields are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Hall Farm, Burgh St Peter (S1-S5). The site is centred on TM 4841 9363. It is possible that the enclosures and fields represent a farmstead or small settlement. The regularity of the enclosures and fields would possibly indicate a Roman date and many of the ditches share alignment with those enclosing the Roman settlement or farmstead 450m to the west (NHER 16005). It therefore seems possible that the two sites are contemporary and were possibly originally continuous or at least associated. Another group of enclosures and fields are located in close proximity to this site (NHER 44881) and have been interpreted as being possibly late prehistoric to Roman in date. Roman finds have been found in close proximity to these enclosures, see NHER 18349 for details, and this may date that phase of cropmarks to the Roman period. However the extent of both sets of enclosures and fields overlap considerably and the Roman finds could have come from activity associated with either set of enclosures. The cropmarks suggest several possible phases of development within 44880, with one polygonal enclosures possibly being added to with a series of more regular and rectilinear enclosures and fields. These cropmarks also sit within a wider spread of multi-phase cropmarks, see NHER 44886 for details.

At TM 4846 9348 is a rectangular enclosure, measuring approx 70m by 60m, and is bisected by Middle Lane. The western ditch is considerably wider than the rest, up to 2.5m across. Multiple ditches define the northern and western boundaries of the enclosure. This is probably due to the presence of trackways running alongside the enclosure. The western ditches do continue to the south, giving the appearance of a trackway. A series of fragmentary cropmarks were recorded within the interior of this enclosure (NHER 44886), but none are likely to be contemporary, other than the ditch running roughly parallel to the western boundary.

To the immediate southeast of this rectangular enclosure is a polygonal enclosure, centred on TM 4851 9341, measuring 55m by between 40-70m. The northeastern and the southwestern ditches of the enclosure are both have multi-faceted faces, or slightly curved, rather than straight, boundary ditches. The cropmarks to the northeast of this enclosure indicate two further conjoined enclosures, neither of which are completely visible, but potentially measuring 50m by 20m and 70m by at least 20m. These enclosures are aligned differently to the remainder of the site and are less regular in plan. It is likely that these slightly polygonal conjoined enclosures the earlier elements of the site. This relationship is also suggested by the fact that the eastern ditch of the rectangular enclosure changes course slightly to become parallel with the more polygonal enclosure, again this would indicate that the polygonal enclosures are earlier.

To the north of the rectangular enclosure is a series of fragmentary rectilinear cropmarks, suggesting further enclosed areas and possibly fields, which follow the same alignment as the enclosure and are therefore likely to be broadly contemporary. Although one broader L-shaped ditch, running from TM 4851 9362 to TM 4851 9357, does line up with another broad ditch approximately 50m to the west, interpreted as a possible post medieval field boundary (NHER 44877). This could suggest that both ditches are part of the same feature, although this is not certain on the current aerial photograph evidence. To the immediate north of this feature, centred on TM 4847 9366, is a dense area of linear ditches following the dominant alignment of the site. Many of these linears are double ditched and are likely to represent a palimpsest of recut trackways and boundary ditches running up to these. A continuation of at least one of these trackways can be identified 60m to west. A further group of enclosures and field boundaries is visible to the west, centred on TM 4829 9378. A rectangular enclosure, measuring 45m by 60m, is visible, the north side of which is underlain by the Burgh Road. A group of similarly aligned field boundaries and ditches are also visible to the north of the road and these are likely to be part of the same site. However they are also parallel to some elements of the post medieval landscape and are therefore of uncertain date. All of these field boundaries and enclosures in this area of the site are noticeably aligned exactly the same as the probable Roman settlement and field system 450m to the southwest (NHER 16005).
S. Massey (NMP), 07 August 2006.