NHER 50894 (Monument record) - Post medieval water meadows

March 2008. Norfolk NMP.
The drainage ditches of probable post medieval water meadows may be visible on aerial photographs along the line of former beck running through Billingford (S1-S4). A more extensive area of water meadows were clearly visible further to the northeast along this channel, see NHER 50893 for details. The site is centred on TG 0117 1903.

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 Holkam 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.

On aerial photographs from the 1940s (S1-S2) possible traces of former water meadows may be visible. None of the features were clear or substantial enough to warrant the mapping individual features. The cropmarks of parallel drainage channels are visible within the southern part of the site on later photography (S3-S4).
S. Massey (NMP), 03 March 2008.