NHER 52146 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Fragmentary enclosures and fields of unknown date

Some of these cropmarks were recorded under NHER 39268, the main record for the excavations at the Harford Park and Ride site.

November 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The fragmentary cropmarks of possible enclosures and fields of unknown, but possibly later prehistoric or Roman date, are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S5) within the Harford Park and Ride development excavation area (NHER 39268) (S6-S7). These features are likely to represent a phase of enclosure and fields either pre-dating or post-dating the main phase of the Iron Age fields encountered during the excavations (NHER 39268), the cropmarks of which are recorded under NHER 52141, and the Roman settlement excavated (NHER 39268), the cropmarks of which have been recorded under NHER 9753. This site is centred on TG 2169 0386.
The site consists of a series of fragmentary linear and rectilinear ditches, possibly representing the remains of enclosures and field boundaries within the southern part of the Harford Park and Ride development area and continuing to some extent into fields to the south. The clearest area of cropmarks was visible within a ripening sugarbeet crop in 1964 around TG 2174 0380 (S1). Possible fragmentary cropmarks following a similar alignment to other components of this site, centred on TG 2155 0388 (S1) and in the area of TG 2165 0388 were omitted from the mapping, due to a possible non-archaeological origin, but their possible presence may be worth noting (S4-S5).
Ditches following the general orientation of these cropmarks were recorded within southern part of the excavation area (NHER 39268), however these were undated and therefore cannot help date the cropmarks (S6). A series of field boundaries and ditches (NHER 52294) following this alignment have been identified on aerial photographs to the east within the Harford Farm cropmark complex and it is possible that the two areas are broadly contemporary. The date of these cropmarks is also unknown, although it is possible that some of the features relate a small fragmentary group of gullies recorded overlying one of the Bronze Age enclosures (NHER 52283), and some of these were felt to be of medieval or later date (NHER 9794 and 52283) (S7), although this relationship is not certain. Given the relationship with the cropmarks recorded within the Harford Park and Ride cropmark complex and the parish boundaries and medieval to post medieval field boundaries it seems unlikely that these ditches are of such a late date.
S. Horlock (NMP), 23 November 2009.