NHER 50849 (Monument record) - Earthworks of medieval to post medieval hollow ways

February 2008. Norfolk NMP
Earthworks of a series of braided hollow ways of medieval to early post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2). A group of curvilinear ditch-like earthworks are present on a roughly west to east alignment. The earthworks follow a curving course and are intermittently visible for up to 1.7km. Even by 1946, the date of the earliest available aerial photographs, the extent of these earthworks had been considerably truncated by quarrying (S1-S2). A second group of similar earthworks continues further to the east (NHER 50850), beyond the site of Bawsey brickworks (NHER 3413), extending the whole group to 2.8km in length. The course of the earthworks does not appear to follow the topography and it is unlikely that they are natural features. The braided appearance of the earthworks suggests that, as a group, they represent long-lived or multi-phase activity. It is probable that the earthworks relate to a series of hollow ways marking the changing route of a west to east aligned road across the former Bawsey Common and Leziate Warren (S3). They follow a corridor measuring up to 135m wide on a direct line between King's Lynn and Gayton.
It is likely that these braided hollow ways represent the main route across the heath prior to the construction of the King's Lynn to Grimston turnpike road in 1770 (S4). It is likely that the hollow ways are of medieval to early post medieval date. Prior to the construction of the turnpike the stretch of road at Bawsey Bottom, ‘was reckoned the worst piece of road in England, and dreaded by all travellers’ (S5). This supports the interpretation of the earthworks as braided hollow ways, with the route of the road across the heath constantly changing as a particular course became impassable. The turnpike road still survives as the B1145 immediately to the north of the course of the hollow ways. The significant increase in the extent of sand and gravel quarrying in this area during the second half of the 20th century means that almost all of the earthwork evidence of these hollow ways has been destroyed.
Some later boundary earthworks and features relating to 19th century quarrying may also have been mapped within this group of earthworks.
J. Albone (NMP), 4 February 2008.