NHER 52211 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks of enclosures, boundaries and fields of extramural settlement to south of Caistor Roman town

These cropmarks were previously recorded under NHER 9836.

March 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of Roman extramural settlement and streets to the south of the Roman town of Venta Icenorum (NHER 9786) are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S5). The site is centred on TG 2299 0303. These cropmarks were previously recorded under NHER 9836, see this record and NHER 29994 for details of finds for this area. The cropmarks grouped under this number include streets, buildings, enclosures and boundaries that are largely located to the south of the town walls and to either side of the ditch defences (NHER 52202). The majority of these streets and boundaries follow the dominant alignment set by walls and the triple ditches, however it is feasible that some of the boundary ditches towards the south of the site are post-Roman in date or features that stayed in use from the Roman period to the post medieval period.
The aerial photographs, most notably (S1, S3), reveal evidence of numerous buildings and former structures to the immediate south of the town walls running alongside the former streets. The clearest structures are located at TG 2292 0326, consisting of an elongated walled structure, measuring approximately 30m by 6m, but with internal subdivisions (S1, S3) and at TG 2290 0329, measuring 11m by 4m Although the sub-rectangular pit-like features and angular parched areas mapped alongside this street are also likely to indicate additional structures not so clearly defined on the aerial photographs. Some features in the area of TG 2298 0325 appear to follow a slightly different alignment, consisting of a slightly curving road and walled or enclosed area to the immediate east (S1, S3-S4), perhaps suggesting some phasing within the development of this part of the town. A possible rectangular enclosure, 13m by 18m, alongside a road or path leading from the town (S3), although the cropmarks are quite faint.
To the south of the triple ditches a number of boundaries and enclosed areas are located within the western part of the field. See NHER 52210 for details of enclosures within the eastern part of the field. The ditches possibly suggest a road or track leading down towards the probable amphitheatre to the south (NHER 52206), with enclosed areas to either side, including a possible rectangular enclosure at TG 2292 0316, measuring approximately 17m by 15m (S3). It must be noted that cropmarks running parallel to the town walls and the triple ditches were particularly hard to confidently identify on the aerial photographs due to the presence of agricultural marks along the same alignment due to the strips in the modern fields following the same direction. The geophysical survey undertaken as part of the Caistor Roman Town Research Project (S7) revealed additional boundaries and enclosures following this alignment that were not detected on the aerial photographs.
To the south of amphitheatre the enclosures and boundaries continue and form regular rectangular blocks and strips of land. To the southeast of the amphitheatre the land would appear to be less subdivided, although it is possible that the conditions are less conducive to cropmarks in this area, as a darker soil area within the eastern part of the field may be obscuring cropmarks. A possible sub-rectangular parchmark at TG 2309 0291, measuring 11m by 8m, with a broad L-shaped ditch or pit to the immediate north (S1). Although it was entirely possible that this parchmark is in fact derived from a naturally occurring deposit. However this feature is in extremely close proximity to the site of a possible Roman building (NHER 9845), indicated by the surface finds of Roman tile, flint and a 2nd century AD coin.
These cropmarks of boundary ditches and enclosures appear to be bordered to the south and west by a slightly irregular ditch and or drainage channel within the current valley floor of the River Tas (S1, S5). This feature would appear to be still a slight earthwork in 1960 (S1) and an accompanying bank is visible along part of the course. The relationship between this boundary and those to the north and east would indicate that this forms part of the Roman phase landscape. Finds of Roman flue and roof tiles have been found within the western area of these boundaries on the valley floor (NHER 21436) indicating that the Roman settlement extended into this area. However it is noticeable that channels marked as drains on the Ordnance Survey first edition map (S6), also appear to follow this same general pattern. To the west of the northern extent of this channel is a series of embankments and drainage channels, some of which have been recorded under NHER 52205, as potentially represent the remains of a Roman road leading to the southwestern corner of the town from the Pye Road to the south (NHER 7947 & 52197). A channel coming off this Ordnance Survey First edition mapped drain, turns to the southwest and cuts across the probable Roman date features (and was omitted from the mapping). However it is still feasible that the northern section is in origin of Roman date, potentially staying in use as a drainage channel on the valley floor until relatively recently and it is possible that other boundaries continued in use.
S. Horlock (NMP), 23 March 2009.