NHER 53657 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Cropmarks and soilmarks of probable round barrows

June 2010. Norfolk NMP.
The cropmarks and soilmarks of a possible pair of round barrows are visible on aerial photographs to the north of Boiling House Plantation, Easton (S1-S3). The site is located at TG 1415 1208 and was the location of a geophysical survey in 2008 (S4), where a possible ring ditch was identified during the survey. No convincing sign of a ring ditch corresponding to the one possibly identified by the geophysics, which was to the north of this site, was found on the aerial photographs (S1-S3). See NHER 51578 for discussion of possible late prehistoric to Roman date ditches in this area. Numerous prehistoric and Neolithic date finds have been recovered from this general area and it is possible that one or both of the barrows is Neolithic to Bronze Age in date (NHER 15026, 17554, 21014 & 22916). These barrows are located on the valley side overlooking the River Wensum to the north. Another large round barrow is located approximately 400m to the southwest (NHER 36741).
The eastern possible barrow was suggested by a circular light-coloured soilmark (S1-S2), possibly surrounded by a ditch (S2), although the soilmark of the ring ditch is was quite uneven and blurry and may relate to underlying geology. The cropmarks of the western ring ditch were quite faint (S3), and while it is feasible that they relate to underlying geology, an archaeological origin seems most likely. A possible pit may be visible directly within the centre of the ring ditch, although this was not mapped due to the presence of many pit-like features within the area, the majority of which are likely to be of natural origin. A smaller semi-circular ditch located in-between the two larger ring ditches (S3) could represent a further example.
S. Horlock (NMP), 09 June 2010.