NHER 55759 (Monument record) - Post-medieval field boundaries and potentially earlier pits and ditches

March 2010. Geophysical survey.
Magnetometer survey of part of large proposed development area (Fields 14)
This survey identified a number of linear anomalies, two of which correspond with former field boundaries depicted on the Attleborough tithe map of 1838 (S1). One of these is aligned roughly east-to-west and notably curved, suggesting it may represent a fossilised element of an earlier field system. It is suggested that several regularly-spaced, north-to-south aligned linear anomalies in the area to the north may represent the traces of earlier strip fields.
Numerous anomalies of probable geological origin were recorded in the southern half of the site, potentially obscuring any archaeological remains present. These may represent a former stream course that pre-dated the modern drainage cut.
A particularly distinct north-east to south-west aligned linear anomaly is a modern pipeline.
See report (S2) for further details. The results of this survey are also noted in (S3).
S. Howard (HES), 28 June 2011. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 28 February 2022.

January 2013. Norfolk NMP.
The pipeline noted above is visible as a cropmark on aerial photographs (S4). It has not been mapped.
E. Ford (NMP), 8 January 2013. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 28 February 2022.

August-September 2015. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development area (Trenches 1-4 and 51).
A total of five trenches were excavated at this location, all of which were placed to coincide with the north-to-south aligned linear geophysical anomalies identified at the northern end of the site.
These trenches revealed a number of north-to-south aligned ditches, the majority of which appear to correspond with geophysical anomalies. A number of what perpendicular features appeared to extend from the eastern side of one of these ditches, but their exact nature was unclear. Unfortunately the only dating evidence recovered was a single sherd of Roman pottery, which came from the surface of an unexcavated ditch.
The one other feature of note was a pit or ditch terminus that produced several conjoining sherds from a wheel-thrown jar of probable Late Iron Age or early Roman date.
It appears that two sherds of early medieval pottery were also recovered from the surface of an unexcavated pit at the southern end of the site.
Information from report uploaded to OASIS. HER copy awaited.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 March 2022.