NHER 53226 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of fragmentary field boundaries and ditches

December 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of fragmentary field boundaries and ditches, probably representing the remains of several phases of fields of unknown, but possibly Bronze Age to Roman and medieval date, are visible on aerial photographs to the north of Caistor Lane, within the Caistor St Edmund and Bixley parishes (S1-S3). The site is centred on TG 2563 0378. The line of a probable Roman road runs through the area of these cropmarks (NHER 9904 & 53212). Finds recovered from within the area of the cropmarks include prehistoric worked flints and botboilers, Roman and medieval to post medieval material (NHER 29000, 30311). The vast majority of the cropmarks consist of fragmentary ditches, assumed to represent the remains of former field boundaries. However it must be noted that there are areas of geological cropmarks within the area of the site and it is possible that some of the more fragmentary linears mapped could feasibly also be of a non-archaeological origin. The least convincing area of cropmarks is in the area of TG 2545 0386, however these were included within the mapping due to their similarity to more convincingly archaeological cropmarks to the south and those recorded within NHER 53228, which falls within the area of this site.
S. Horlock (NMP), 29 December 2009.

November 2011. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetic gradiometry survey of proposed development site.
This survey revealed a number of positive area anomolies indicative of cut features such as pits, as well as possible linear features. Earth resistence data collected in the north of the survey area identified cut features which correlate well with the location of cropmarks suggested as of Roman or medieval date (NHER 53212 and NHER 53213).
See report (S4) and NHER 61166 for further details.
E. Bales (HES), 9 July 2012.