NHER 53233 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of possible Neolithic long barrow or mortuary enclosure

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Summary

A possible Neolithic long barrow or mortuary enclosure is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs on land to the south of Bell Farm, Horsford. The pottery evidence from the site suggests that earlier Neolithic, Bronze Age or perhaps Iron Age activity was taking place. It has been suggested that the rectilinear enclosure to the south (NHER18131) relates to an elongated mortuary enclosure, but its morphology, and particularly the possible entrance feature, does not fit with this hypothesis. It is, however, possible that this curvilinear feature to the north may in fact relate to a Neolithic long barrow or mortuary enclosure. It should be noted that archaeological work undertaken at this site between 2009 and 2016 has failed to identify any evidence for surviving sub-surface remains associated with this cropmark.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TG11NE
Civil Parish	HORSFORD, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

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Full Description

November 2009. Norfolk NMP.
A possible Neolithic long barrow or mortuary enclosure is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (S1)-(S6) on land to the south of Bell Farm, Horsford, centred on TG 1795 1554. This feature has previously been considered as part of NHER 18131.
The cropmark consists of an incomplete possible oval ditch, at least 28m in length, by 15m in external diameter. It is not possible to determine whether the fragmentary nature of the ditch is due to masking of the archaeology, although the cropmark is much fainter in appearance than that of the rectilinear enclosure which may post-date it (NHER 18131).
Certainly the pottery evidence suggests that earlier Neolithic, Bronze Age or perhaps Iron Age activity was taking place at the site. It has been suggested that the rectilinear enclosure to the south (NHER 18131) relates to an elongated mortuary enclosure (S7), but its morphology, and particularly the possible entrance feature, does not fit with this hypothesis. It is therefore possible that this curvilinear feature to the north may in fact relate to a Neolithic long barrow or mortuary enclosure, and represents an earlier phase of activity on the site than the more prominent cropmark of the rectilinear enclosure.
E. Bales (NMP), November 2009.

April 2012-April 2013. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometry survey on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Block 15).
Although the area examined coincided with approximately half of this cropmark no corresponding anomalies were identified.
See report (S8) and NHER 61127 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 July 2019.

April-August 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of site on proposed line of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Field H3-H4).
A trench excavated across the line of this cropmark failed to locate a corresponding sub-surface feature. This is consistent with the results of the preceeding geophysical survey, which also failed to identify any evidence for surviving remains associated with this cropmark.
See report (S9) and NHER 61127 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 June 2019.

January-September 2016. Strip Map and Sample Excavation.
Excavation of site on route of Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Area 3).
Details awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 5 July 2019.

Associated Sources (9)

<S1> SNF72483 Vertical Aerial Photograph: Meridian Airmaps Limited. 1971. MAL 71017 037-8 23-MAR-1971 (NMR).
<S2> SNF72574 Oblique Aerial Photograph: CUCAP. 1981. CUCAP (CPF70-71) 14-SEP-1981.
<S3> SNF72571 Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1981. NHER TG 1815A-C (NLA 121/ARQ1-3) 15-SEPT-1981 (NLA).
<S4> SNF72572 Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1983. NHER TG 1815D-F (NLA 229/12-14) 24-JAN-1983 (NLA).
<S5> SNF72573 Oblique Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.. 1983. NHER TG 1815L-N (NLA 226 7-9) 12-SEPT-1983 (NLA).
<S6> SNF72568 Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1990. OS/90224 133-4 31-JUL-1990 (NMR).
<S7> SNF71765 Unpublished Contractor Report: Trimble, G. and Watkins, P. 2008. Norwich Northern Distributor Route: Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching. NAU Archaeology. 1363.
<S8> SNF93163 Unpublished Contractor Report: Harrison, S. and Webb, A. 2013. Norwich Northern Distributor Road, Norwich, Norfolk. Geophysical Survey. Archaeological Services WYAS. 2545.
<S9> SNF98868 Unpublished Contractor Report: Pooley, A., Phillips, T., Haskings, A. and Nicholls, K. 2015. Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NNDR) and Heath Farm. Archaeological Evaluation Report. Oxford Archaeology East. 1779.