NHER 52212 (Monument record) - Cropmarks of a post built structure, probably a Roman aisled barn or house

March 2009. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks of a post built structure or structures, probably represent the remains of a Roman (or Saxon?) date aisled barn or house, are visible on aerial photographs (S1) to the south of the Roman town of Venta Icenorum (NHER 9786). The site is centred on TG 2290 0319. The cropmarks indicate an arrangement of post-holes, which potentially indicate the remains of a post-built structure measuring 10m long by 6m, with at least three central posts. A fourth possible pit/posthole was not mapped as it was not completely convincing. The central row of posts could indicate that the building was aisled. A further group of post-holes is visible to the immediate northeast, although no convincing building plan can be reconstructed from the current evidence. The plan of this structure compares well with the aisled building, interpreted as a barn of early Roman date, excavated approximately 1.5km to the northwest on the Harford Park and Ride site (NHER 39268) (S2). A Roman date for this building at Caistor also seems the most likely, given the position of it within the enclosures and fields to the south of the Roman town (NHER 52211). Although it must be noted that a similar post-built structures have been identified to the immediate west of the town (NHER 52198) and are associated with an area of probable sunken-featured buildings or grubenhauser. A large quantity of Saxon date material has been recovered to the west of the Roman town (NHER 9759) and may indicate that this area was occupied in the later Roman and Saxon periods, and therefore the post-built structures may relate to this later phase of settlement. To the south of the post-built structure to the south of Venta, is a large sub-rectangular pit like feature, 2m across with rounded corners. This may also relate to the site of a former sunken-featured buildings or grubenhauser.
S. Horlock (NMP), 23 March 2009.