NHER 44937 (Monument record) - Cropmark ditches of unknown, but possible Roman date

August 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of ditches of unknown, but possible Roman date are visible on aerial photographs to the north of St Mary’s Road, Aldeby (S1). The site is centred on TM 4541 9272, although this point does not correspond to an archaeological feature on the ground. These cropmarks are located in close proximity to a multi-period finds assemblage (NHER 41979), although Roman finds predominate. Also to the north is excavated evidence for Middle Iron Age, Roman and Saxon activity and occupation (NHER 34099). These cropmarks are located within an area of multi-period cropmarks (NHER 44939), including a series of field boundaries and a trackway, possibly medieval to post medieval in date (NHER 44938).

The ditches are too fragmentary for any detailed interpretation, although it seems likely that the majority of field boundaries or boundary ditches of some sort. Most are aligned NE-SW. at TM 4548 9268 is a slightly broader L-shaped ditch, with a long axis aligned NW-SE. It is possible that broader L-shaped ditch marks the corner of an enclosure of some sort, although without further evidence or cropmarks this cannot be ascertained. The cropmarks are too fragmentary to provide any chronologically diagnostic features, however the abundance of Roman finds in this general area may indicate a Roman date.

These cropmarks are only visible on the far ground of an oblique aerial photograph (S1) and therefore cannot be seen clearly. This field is also marked with a variety of non-archaeological cropmarks. It is therefore possible that further archaeological features are present, but have gone unrecorded due to the presence of the geological cropmarks in close vicinity.
S. Massey (NMP), 15 August 2006.