NHER 50984 (Monument record) - Site of probable post medieval field boundaries and extraction pits or possible buildings

October 2008. Norfolk NMP.
The remains of probable post medieval extraction pits, or possible buildings, as well as former field and parish boundaries are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S1)-(S3). The site is centred on TG 2525 1313.
Negative cropmarks visible on aerial photographs (S1)-(S3) appear to represent the parish boundary between Beeston St Andrew and Sprowston, depicted on the Beeston St Andrew Tithe Map of 1842 (S4). The boundary is visible from TG 2534 1328 in the north-east, turning at right-angles in the centre of the site, running to TG 2499 1323 in the west. Two field boundaries were also mapped, at right angles to the parish boundary, one to the south, as far as TG 2502 1313 and one on a north-south alignment from TG 2512 1318 to TG 2523 1355, where its alignment changes to east northeast-west southwest as far as TG 2545 1359. This change in alignment may be a continuation of the ditch and bank to the northeast, recorded as part of NHER 50990. The parish boundary has been mapped in conjunction with three pit features, surrounded by a series of irregular banks, upcast spoil or masonry/foundations, which probably represent post medieval extraction pits or agricultural building footprints, and which respect the alignment of the field boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map (S4).

The site does not appear to be represented on Faden (S5) or Bryant’s (S6) maps of Norfolk, but due to its regularity of form, being roughly rectangular in plan (approximately 125m by 49m overall) with a perpendicular extension (51m by 30m), these features have been interpreted as a possible building. The pit features, or possible internal building footprints, measure in the region of 8m by 15m, and have been interpreted as possible building footprints due to their apparent regularity. It is with a note of caution that this site was interpreted as the remains of a possible building, although its similarity to NHER 50983 625m to the north was a factor in this interpretation.

There are various agricultural and possible quarrying marks in the field corners and entrances in this field, and field to the north, visible on (S1). These marks look different, being much less regular in form, and are probably not of archaeological significance.
E. Bales (NMP), 28 October 2008.