NHER 50651 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of a small square-ditched enclosure

October 2007. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a small square-ditched enclosure of unknown definite date, but potentially of Iron Age to Roman date, are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Morton Plantation (S1). It is possible that the small enclosure represent the fragments of a system of boundary ditches, the remainder of which are not discernable on the aerial photographs. However it is also possible that cropmarks represent a discrete enclosed site. Another square ditched enclosure is located approximately 430m to the east (NHER 50650) and this has been interpreted as the possible remains of Iron Age or Roman funerary enclosure or square barrow, see record for details. An Iron Age terret fragment was recovered in the general vicinity of this site (NHER 29344). Numerous Roman date finds have also been recovered from this area. This enclosure is located next to a ring ditch, which forms part of a small Bronze Age round barrow cemetery (NHER 45361) and this setting is common amongst other small square enclosures identified (S2).

The site is centred on TG 1203 1721. The enclosure, which measures 11.5m across, appears to be defined by ditches that are either have broken cropmark response or have causeways at the corners. The enclosure appears to be subdivided by two ditches, although it is not clear whether this represents internal divisions or a palimpsest of several phases of boundaries. One of these ditched continues to the south of the enclosure and joins with a perpendicular ditch. This could indicate that these fragmentary cropmarks do represent part of a larger system of boundary ditches, rather than a discrete enclosure, such as a funerary monument. The exact plan of the cropmarks is hard to confidently discern as the location coincides with the edge of an area of geological and pedological cropmarks. There remains a possibility that these cropmarks are also non-archaeological in origin, although the rectilinear nature of the features would suggest that they are not natural.
S. Massey (NMP), 31 October 2007.