NHER 50893 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Post medieval water meadows and possible medieval enclosure and hollow way

February 2008. Norfolk NMP.
The earthworks of an extensive area of post medieval catchwork water meadows are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Eastend House, Billingford (S1-S4). Possible earlier components have been identified within these earthworks and it is possible that a medieval hollow way and an enclosure, possibly a moat, have been incorporated into the water meadow site. The water meadows are located on land owned by Sir Thomas William Coke Esq. of Holkham Hall. The existence of these water meadows at Billingford had previously only be inferred from historical documents, but lack of supporting archaeological evidence had led to the assumption that the meadows had never actually been constructed. The site is centred on TG 0195 2024.
The meadows are located adjacent to the canalised route of a former beck that ran from the common to the north down past Beck Hall and continues to the southwest eventually joining the River Wensum near Riverside Farm. The site consists of a parallel drainage channels arranged either perpendicular or diagonally to a main carrier channel that runs through the centre of the site. In-between these drainage channels are a ridges or ‘panes’. The central carrier channels that ran along the top of the ridges can be identified on a number of the ridges, although in general these features were not apparent. It is possible that a further area of water meadows existed further downstream (see NHER 50894), although these were not as obvious on the aerial photographs as this group.
The identification of water meadows at this location is particularly important as there are documentary records indicating that the constructed of water meadows was being contemplated at Billingford in 1804 by a local landowner, Mr Blomefield, but it was thought that they had not been constructed as to date no evidence for them existed (S5). However consultation of the 1809 Billingford Enclosure map (S6) indicates that the water meadows are located on land held by Sir Thomas William Coke Esq. of Holkham Hall, with only the southwestern edge of the site going onto land allotted to Blomefield. Coke was one of the great land improvers and encouraged the construction of water meadows in Norfolk, in particular on Holkham Estate land.
It is possible that the water meadow system incorporates some earlier earthworks, as a number of the components to the northeast of the site do not appear to fit into the catchwork system. The main feature consists of a substantial earthwork ditch or hollow way, up to 12m across, flanked by a bank on either side, both up to 7m across, running down from the Billingford Road. This has the definite appearance of a medieval hollow way, rather than a channel associated with the water meadows, although it does seem to have become incorporated into the water management system. It is interesting to note the similarity in plan and dimensions with this earthwork and the line of a medieval to post medieval trackway visible only as soilmarks approximately 150m to the east (see NHER 50909 for details). Adjacent to this hollow is a roughly square or trapezoidal enclosure, approximately 50m across, possibly a moat, defined by ditches up to 5m across. It is possible that the hollow way or channel cuts across the enclosure ditches, and this enclosure may therefore be the earliest phase to the site. Although the relationship cannot be ascertained for certain due to the slightly dilapidated nature of the earthworks in this area. To the immediate north of this enclosure is a low L-shaped bank that is positioned on a break in slope above the main valley. Although it is possible that all of these earthworks relate to the water meadows, this seems unlikely and a medieval date is put forward for all of these features. Although given the amount of known Roman activity and settlement in this area (see NHER 7206 and 17486 for details) and the fact that the possible medieval hollow way appears to cut the enclosure, it is feasible the earthworks relate to a Roman date site. However there is no evidence to corroborate this suggestion and a medieval date must remain the most likely interpretation.
To the northwest of the site a number of boundary banks and ditches have been included within the site (formerly part of NHER 29488). These are likely to the remains of medieval to post medieval land and property boundaries.
Aerial photographs dating to the 1960s and 1970s document the levelling of the major earthwork components of this site, in particular the substantial hollow way or channel, which can be seen to being gradually filled in. Since then much of the site has been ploughed and the remaining earthworks levelled. A possible area of surviving earthworks may exist within the central area of the site, where three areas of grazing can be seen in 1988 (S6). Although no significant earthworks can be detected on the aerial photographs it is possible that a site visit would reveal some remaining components of the water meadows.
Also see (S6)
S. Massey (NMP), 28 February 2008.