NHER 53271 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Bronze Age round barrow, part of linear cemetery NHER 9549

June 2010. Norfolk NMP.
A Bronze Age round barrow is visible as a low earthwork and cropmark on aerial photographs (S1)-(S5), centred at TG 2108 0602. It forms part of a linear round barrow cemetery, NHER 9549, under which record all previous information concerning the site is held (the barrow was formerly recorded as context 4). Excavations at the site in 1969-70 recovered a complete Beaker as well as a variety of other pottery sherds (NHER 9549; (S6)). They also revealed two concentric ring ditches, measuring 23m and 7.5m in diameter. This contrasts with the aerial photographic evidence and the NMP mapping, which shows a near circular ring ditch measuring approximately 32m in diameter surrounding the remains of a mound and up to two inner ring ditches measuring 19m and 10.5 in diameter. That the inner two ring ditches in fact equate to those excavated, as suggested by Healy (1986 (S6)) remains plausible. As with the adjacent barrow to the east (NHER 53270), the earthworks and cropmarks of the site are confused by those of the World War Two anti-landing trenches (NHER 53254) and other undated ditches (NHER 53272) which overlap the site.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 23 June 2010.