NHER 52378 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of possible medieval to post medieval linear ditches and rectilinear enclosure

October 2009. Norfolk NMP.
Linear ditches and a possible rectilinear enclosure are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S1) to the south east of Brands Farm, Felthorpe.

The most prominent of these features is a linear ditch, running north-south for 85m from TG 1672 1641 to TG 1673 1632. A possible enclosure is visible, on the same alignment, centred at TG 1682 1629. This possible rectilinear enclosure is defined by a 2m wide ditch, enclosing an area of 30m by a maximum of 19m. The interruption on its northern side does not appear to be an entrance, rather an area in which the cropmarks are masked by agricultural marks or ‘tramlines’ in the crop. This feature is rather faint and ephemeral, and may in fact be geological in nature, rather than archaeological.
The fact that the alignment of both these features appears to echo the modern field pattern, and that the linear ditch corresponds with the edge of a possible medieval to post medieval enclosure ditch 290m to the north (NHER 52370) has led to a tentative medieval to post medieval date for the site.

The linear cropmark to the north east, running from TG 1678 1636 to TG 1680 1641 is also rather faint and may also represent underlying geology, but has been included with these features even though its alignment may indicate a different phase of activity on this site.
E. Bales (NMP), October 2009.