NHER 51959 (Monument record) - Possible medieval-post medieval field boundaries or garden features

January 2009. Norfolk NMP.
Several linear ditch features were visible as cropmarks on (S1), centred at TG2723 1254, within Rackheath Park. Their orientation appears to correspond with the field boundaries identified 122m to the west (NHER 51890), and as such they have been assigned a medieval to post medieval date. It is possible, however, that these ditches represent post medieval formal garden features in the grounds of Rackheath Hall, in a similar way to the cropmarks recorded as NHER 21125, 114m to the south east.
They are generally aligned parallel roughly northwest-southeast at intervals of between 19 and 32m, with perpendicular elements crossing on a northeast-southwest alignment, the longest of which measures approximately 133m in length. The features are of varying width, the widest measuring approximately 4m.

The medieval road, Ravensgate Way, (NHER 8127), marked on maps in 1585 and 1907 (S2), runs on a similar alignment to the features described above, approximately 243m to the south of this site. See NHER 50730, 50729 and 50727 for a possibly related settlement site visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs, located 834m to the north east, at least part of which appears to be on a similar alignment to the cropmarks described above.

It should be noted, though, that these features were only visible on one photograph (S1), which did not have a stereo pair, and therefore must be recorded with a note of caution.
E. Bales (NMP), 6 January 2009.