NHER 52298 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of former Roman road

November 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a former stretch of Roman road are visible on aerial photographs running intermittently from Upper Stoke, across the former Poringland Heath and joining with the Roman road to Ditchingham, Stone Street, at Brooke to the southeast (S1-S6). The northwestern end of this road links with the Roman road (NHER 30288) running east from the Roman town of Venta Icenorum. The site is centred on TG 2670 0061 running from TG 2859 9848 to TG 2516 0229 for just over 5km. The route of the road is clearly visible on aerial photographs taken during the hot dry summers of 1976 (S3) and 1996 (S4-S5) and also on Google Earth imagery from 2006 (S6). The cropmarks of the main sections of this road have been recorded individually under NHER 53216-8. Comparison of the route of this road and a straight section of track depicted as running across Poringland Heath in the 1790s on Faden’s map (S7) would suggest that at least part of this road continued in use until this date. See NHER 53224 and 53285 for discussion of possible contemporary boundaries to either side of road to the south of Poringland and possible parallel road and boundary elements that continue in use until the post medieval and modern period.
S. Horlock (NMP), 05 November 2009.