NHER 50744 (Monument record) - Site of undated field system in Rackheath Park

December 2007. Norfolk NMP.
Part of a field system is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S1)-(S2), centred at TG 2741 1338. Ditches form a regular, broadly rectilinear pattern of two or more fields, of which at least one element (between TG 2736 1351 and TG 2747 1349) is double-ditched and perhaps acted as a trackway. More fragmentary cropmarks sharing the same orientation extend the postulated system for 240m to the northwest. Even more fragmentary ditches, which exhibit a different alignment, may represent features belonging to a separate phase of activity. The date of the field system is unknown; finds ranging in date from the prehistoric to medieval periods were recovered from a pipeline a short distance to its east (NHER 33750). It lies within Rackheath Park (NHER 30518), established before 1588, which it presumably pre-dates; its form is reminiscent of Iron Age and/or Romano-British field systems recorded elsewhere in Norfolk, and a similar date is plausible for the site described here. At the same time, however, it is also reminiscent of post medieval patterns of enclosure, and consequently a later date, representing a period of enclosure within the park, cannot be ruled out.

The field system is visible across an area measuring approximately 520m north to south and 330m east to west. Its overall pattern is difficult to discern but may be coaxial. Excluding possible subdivisions, the two fields visible measure around 200m long and 130m wide.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 7 December 2007.

March-June 2009. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on proposed line of the Norwich Northern Distributor Route (Site R1).
This survey identified two linear anomalies that potentially corresponded with east-to-west and north-north-east to south-south-west aligned cropmarks in the north-easternmost part of this group (at c.TG 2754 1348).
See report (S3) and NHER 49749 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 3 August 2015. Amended 26 February 2021.

April-September 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Field R1).
This phase of work saw the investigation of a ditch associated with the east-to-west aligned cropmark at TG 2754 1348. No finds were recovered.
See report (S4) and NHER 49749 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 February 2021.

January-September 2016. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of site on route of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Area 11).
This final phase of work saw the excavation of another slot through the ditch associated with the east-to-west aligned cropmark at TG 2754 1348. On this occasion a fragment of post-medieval bottle glass was recovered.
A ditch that appeared to be associated with the adjacent north-north-east to south-south-west aligned cropmark was also identified. This was regarded as modern but it is unclear why (it was not excavated).
See NHER 49749 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 February 2021.