NHER 50978 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of field boundaries of unknown date

May 2008. Norfolk NMP.
A group of fragmentary field boundaries of unknown definite date are visible on aerial photographs at Hopton-on-Sea (S1-S7). The location of the majority of these cropmarks is now covered by housing developments and seaside chalet accommodation. Excavations and evaluations have taken place within the western part of this site, within the field to the south of Old Oak Cottage, see NHER 16167 for details (S8).

It is possible that some of these boundaries are medieval to post medieval in date, as they follow the same alignment as other cropmarks of medieval to post medieval field boundaries to the west (NHER 45165). However the majority of the features, in particular those running approximately N-S do not appear to fit with any aspects of the post medieval and modern landscape, such as field and road layout. This could suggest that they are pre-medieval in date. It must be noted that these components of the site broadly share the same alignment as a major field system to the north that is thought to be of Roman date (NHER 43495). It is therefore possible that these cropmarks are also of a Roman date.

A possible rectilinear enclosure enclosed area, paddock or field may be visible at TG 5309 0000 (S3). The remainder of the site consists of fragmentary linear features and former field boundaries. Two of these boundaries appear to represent relatively long distant boundaries, one which is at least 150m long (S6-S7). This ditch may have originally linked up with another two boundaries to the south, making it potentially over 500m in length. It is likely that this boundary is the undated ditch recorded within trench 13 of the evaluation excavations at the site (S8).
S. Massey (NMP), 28 May 2008.

August 2016. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site to east of Lowestoft Road and north of Longfulans Lane.
This survey identified no evidence for sub-surface remains associated with the fragmentary north-north-east to south-south-west aligned linear cropmark recorded in this field.
See report (S9) and NHER 62747 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 May 2018.

January 2017. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site to east of Lowestoft Road and north of Longfulans Lane.
Two of the trenches encountered a ditch that almost certainly corresponds with the fragmentary north-north-east to south-south-west aligned cropmark at TM 5273 9972. Unfortunately no dating evidence was recovered.
See report (S10) and NHER 62747 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 10 May 2018.

March 2023. Assessment of the Character and Significance of East Anglian Field Systems project.
The site described above was included in the dataset analysed for the Historic England-funded Assessment of East Anglian Field Systems project. See the project report (S11) for further details.
S. Tremlett (Norfolk County Council Environment Team), 22 March 2023.