NHER 52112 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of possible medieval to post medieval field boundaries and a possible trackway

December 2006-January 2007. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometry survey of strip on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Area 1).
This survey revealed no evidence of a sub-surface feature associated with the extensive north-east to south-west aligned cropmark that crosses the area examined.
See report (S4) and NHER 62624 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 25 March 2018.

May 2009. Norfolk NMP.
Cropmarks of possible medieval to post medieval field boundaries on an east northeast-west southwest alignment, as well as a possible trackway running north northwest-south southeast were visible on aerial photographs (S1)-(S3) to the north and south of Smee lane.

The possible field boundaries are represented by two parallel ditches, interrupted in places, but running from TG 2958 0976 to TG 2893 0961, and TG 2941 0954 to TG 2898 0944, approximately 180m apart. They may be related to the possible settlement site in the vicinity (NHER 51971), although perhaps relate to an earlier phase of land division, as they do not appear to correspond with features depicted on the historic maps of the area.

The possible trackway, running from TG 2902 0958 to TG 2905 0944, overlies a possible Iron Age to Roman enclosure (NHER 52111) and shares its alignment with a series of enclosures visible towards the centre of the site at TG 2937 0958 (NHER 51971), some of which correspond to field boundaries depicted on the Tithe Map of 1849, and have therefore been assigned a medieval to post medieval date. The possible trackway may also continue to the south, as far as TG 2908 0937, visible as fragmentary ditches within the medieval to post medieval ditches recorded as NHER 52113.

Other ditch features included with this record, but which may in fact be geological rather than archaeological in nature, are represented by a series of three curvilinear ditch features centred at TG 2912 0964, and at least six fragmentary ditch features on a roughly north south alignment, centred at TG 2950 0969, which may be related to a paleochannel with which they appear to share an alignment.
E. Bales (NMP), 7 May 2009.

April 2012-April 2013. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometry survey on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Block 47).
This survey identified a linear anomaly that clearly corresponds with the northern of the two extensive east-north-east to west-south-west aligned cropmarks. Two very faint perpendicular anomalies were also identified that appear to extend to the north and south of the main feature. These were interpreted as representing contemporary field boundaries.
See report (S5) and NHER 62624 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 August 2015.

May 2014-January 2015. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey on updated proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Area P2).
This survey also failed to identify any evidence for sub-surface remains associated with the southernmost of two extensive east-north-east to west-south-west aligned cropmarks. There was also no evidence for a feature associated with a shorter perpendicular cropmark that has also been recorded in the area examined.
See report (S6) and NHER 62623 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 25 March 2018.

April-May 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of two areas on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Route.
One of the trenches excavated to the north of Smee Lane (Field G10; NHER 62624) identified a ditch that corresponded with the northernmost of the two extensive east-north-east to west-south-west aligned cropmarks. Finds were limited to a small number of Neolithic/Bronze Age worked flints and several burnt flints. The another linear feature identified corresponded with one of the perpendicular anomalies detected by the 2012/2013 geophysical survey but produced no dating evidence and was possibly a natural feature.

Trenches excavated to the south of Smee Lane (Field P1; NHER 62623) identified a ditch that clearly corresponded with the southernmost of the two extensive east-north-east to west-south-west aligned cropmarks (which both preceding geophysical surveys had failed to identify). A second ditch appeared to correspond with a shorter perpendicular cropmark to the north. Unfortunately these features produced little in the way of dating evidence, with finds limited to a small number of prehistoric worked flints. It was however suggested that these ditches were potentially associated with a phase of activity that predated the enclosure to the south of Smee Lane (NHER 51971), which saw shown to be of medieval date.
See report (S7) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 4 April 2018.

May 2015. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of land south of Smee Lane and west of proposed route of Norwich Northern Distributor Road.
This survey identified no evidence for surviving sub-surface remains associated with the westernmost cropmarks in this group. It is though noted that ground conditions (particularly a low magnetic susceptibility) may have hindered the recognition of archaeological deposits.
See report (S8) and NHER 62623 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 March 2021.

2016. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of site on route of Norwich Northern Distributor Road.
Details to come.
P. Watkins (HES), 3 April 2018.