NHER 44945 (Monument record) - Multi-period cropmarks

August 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A dispersed group of undated and multi-phase cropmarks are visible on aerial photographs to the southwest of Common Farm, Aldeby (S1-S3). Excavations within the western edge of this site revealed a wealth of Middle Iron Age industrial activity, Roman date ditches, plus possible evidence for Early Saxon occupation (S4). An undated, but possibly Roman date enclosure (NHER 44909) and some post medieval field boundaries (NHER 44947) have been identified within this area of this site has been recorded separately. The entire site is centred on TM 4602 9294, although this point does not correspond to an archaeological feature on the ground. Some of these cropmarks are located within the extraction area of Aldeby Quarry and have therefore been destroyed.

The majority of the features visible within this site are likely to be the remains of field boundaries. None show any definite relationship to one another or have chronologically diagnostic features. Centred on TM 4630 9280 is a group of cropmarks including a possible angular C-shaped linear feature. However these cropmarks are only visible on an extremely oblique aerial photograph (S2) and cannot be seen clearly. A series of non-archaeological cropmarks are visible on the gravel within this area and it is possible that not all of the features mapped are definitely archaeological in origin. Only the more linear or regular shaped cropmarks were mapped. A number of linear cropmarks were visible within the area excavated in 1999 to the west of the site (S2). However these were not mapped due to a suspicion that they were either geological or agricultural in origin and again they could not be seen clearly due to the obliqueness of the aerial photograph. The only potential archaeological cropmark mapped in the excavated area was a short section of L-shaped ditch at TM 4578 9300 (S2). No corresponding archaeological features were detected at these locations during the excavations.
S. Massey (NMP), 15 August 2006.