NHER 52466 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Earthworks of possible medieval ridge and furrow or post-medieval land improvement

November 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The earthworks of an area of possible medieval ridge and furrow or post medieval land improvement are visible on aerial photographs alongside ‘The Street’ at Poringland (S1-S2). The site is centred on TG 2728 0509 and is located on land that is depicted as being within Poringland Heath on Faden’s map of 1797 (S3). It would seem unlikely for there to be evidence for medieval cultivation within the main body of the heath. However the plot of land is adjacent to the main road, ‘The Street’, through the heath from original centre of Poringland village and it is possible that not all of the area of the heath as depicted on historic maps, was actually heath right through to the end of the post medieval period. This possible area of ridge and furrow may represent an encroachment onto the heath of cultivation alongside the road. The parcel of land containing these probably cultivation ridges is marked as ‘Poors Allotment’ on the 1805 East Poringland Tithe map (S4).
The possible ridge and furrow is extremely straight and regular and it is possible that it relates to post medieval cultivation or land improvement, but clearly underlies the post medieval fields that divide the larger plot of land. The possibility that the ridge and furrow represents an elaborate attempt at drainage remains. Following the same alignment as the ridges is a more substantial ditches feature, which leads to a pond or infilled clay extraction pit. The site is located on a mixture of diamicton and superficial sands and gravels and the Tithe map for the surrounding areas indicates both clay and gravel extraction areas.
These earthworks are overlain by a World War Two searchlight site (NHER 52465).
S. Horlock (NMP), 03 November 2009.