NHER 52064 (Monument record) - Shallow earthworks of probable medieval to post medieval date, Swardeston Hill

April 2009. Norfolk NMP.
A small group of shallow earthworks of probable medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs on the former Swardeston Hill (formerly Hall) Green (S1). These are likely to the post medieval in date and possibly relate to the post medieval brick making and clay extraction at the site, see NHER 52066 for details. Alternatively these earthworks might represent part of the medieval settlement at Gowthorpe to the north (NHER 52069). The site, which is centred on TG 2098 0192, was formerly located on the Green itself, but the western part has since been converted to arable, levelling the monument and reducing the size of Green (S2).
The site consists of a small area of earthworks that possibly represent the remains of a small rectangular ditched enclosure, with a conjoined ditch to the north. The possible enclosure is incomplete, but measures at least 30m by 20m. It is possible that this ditched enclosure relates to the remains of medieval feature associated with the settlement to the immediate north (NHER 52069). Although it is seems likely that this location would have been located on the medieval common land, making it doubtful that the earthworks relate to a domestic enclosure, such as a toft. The earthworks are located immediately adjacent to a series of extraction pits, assumed to be for clay. See NHER 52066 for discussion of probable post medieval brick making and clay extraction around the edges of the common land. These extraction pits, centred on TG 2098 0187 and TG 2102 0196 are marked on the Ordnance Survey first edition map (1887-1891, 6 inch) (S3). Given the proximity of these earthworks to the extraction pits it is possible that they relate to transport of this raw material from the pits.
S. Horlock (NMP), 30 April 2009.