NHER 44941 (Monument 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 vicinity of Shrublands Quarry and Eastend Farm in the Aldeby and Burgh St Peter parishes (S1-S6). The site is centred on TM 4691 9226, although this point does not correspond to an archaeological feature on the ground.

Several other groups of cropmarks are located within the area of this site, including a dispersed group of possible late prehistoric to Roman field boundaries (NHER 44942), plus two other undated groups of field boundaries appearing to belong to separate phases (NHER 44932, 44943). An area of post medieval boundaries are also visible (NHER 16003). The round barrow previously recorded within this area (NHER 16003) has been discounted as an agricultural feature. 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, other than fragmentary field boundaries of unknown date. Additional aerial photograph material or archaeological excavation would be needed to investigate this area further. The easternmost part of this site is located within the area of a watching brief undertaken as part of the Shrublands Quarry extension; see NHER 31317, 35652 and 36668 for details. Metal detecting, fieldwalking and excavation to the east recovered evidence for Bronze Age activity and possible occupation, plus a number of medieval finds and post medieval field boundaries (NHER 31317, 35652, 36668). No ditches or boundaries were found in direct association with the Bronze Age pits and finds scatters.

Very few ditched features were identified on the ground as part of the fieldwork. Other than a post medieval field boundary (NHER 16003 and 35652), the only ditch that was excavated was located at approximately TM 4742 9255 of this site within NHER 31317 (S8; context 24). This is approximately 50m to the northeast of some ditch fragments detected on the aerial photographs and follows a similar alignment to one of the mapped ditches. This excavated ditch was heavily truncated by the surface stripping undertaken by the contractors, with only 10cm of the sub-surface feature remaining. The feature was reported to have continued to the east, towards the location of the cropmarks, although this section of the ditch was completely removed during the surface scraping without any archaeological investigation. Sub-surface features recorded within NHER 35652 were also described as being truncated and many of the excavated features were extremely shallow (S4-S5). It is therefore possible that other shallow features that may have corresponded to those mapped have been destroyed completely.
S. Massey (NMP), 10 August 2006.