NHER 49499 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Multiphase cropmark of field boundaries

May 2007. Norfolk NMP.
This multiphase cropmark site consists of former field boundaries of unknown, but possibly late prehistoric to Roman date, visible on aerial photographs to the south of Mill Lane, Acle (S1-S4). The site is centred on TG 3948 1031. Finds of Roman and medieval date have been found in the general vicinity of these cropmarks (NHER 35995, 39644 and 42032).
The majority of the site consists of fragmentary ditches, aligned NW-SE or NE-SW, and are likely to represent former field boundaries, and where double ditched, trackways. The site, in particular the eastern end, had considerable background geological patterning, making confident identification of archaeological features hard. Only particularly clear and distinct ditches were transcribed. The cropmarks recorded under this number are likely to represent more than one phase, potentially spanning the late prehistoric to Roman periods, although some of the ditches may be later. Similarly aligned fragmentary field boundaries have been recorded to the north and west (NHER 49502-3).
S. Massey (NMP), 29 May 2007.

March 2013. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site adjacent to Mill Farm.
Several linear anomalies were identified that appear to represent a trackway and at least one associated field boundary. These cannot be convincingly associated with the previously identified cropmark features, although they are extremely close to several. It appears that most, if not all, of the cropmarks were not detected by this survey, suggesting any associated sub-surface features have been lost or significantly eroded.
See report (S5) and NHER 8510 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 12 October 2016.

February-March 2014. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site adjacent to Mill Farm.
Although various trenches coincided with cropmarks in this group the majority were found to have no associated sub-surface remains. The one exception was a north-west to south-east aligned ditch at TG 3966 1049 that was probably associated with the pair of similarly aligned cropmarks at this location. This had a leached primary fill that produced a number of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age worked flints and was regarded as a potentially early feature.
See report (S6) and NHER 8510 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 April 2021.

June 2019. Excavation.
Final phase of work undertaken prior to redevelopment of site adjacent to Mill Farm.
This excavation saw further investigation of the north-west to south-east aligned ditch at TG 3966 1049. Finds were again limited to a small number of worked flints.
NHER 8510 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 April 2021.