NHER 57403 (Cropmark and Earthwork record) - Possible medieval house platform and fields

July 2012. Norfolk NMP.
The former earthworks and soilmarks of a possible medieval tofts and crofts/fields are visible on aerial photographs to the south of Attleborough Road, Little Ellingham (S1-S2). The site is centred on TM 0112 9894. The main focus of the site is a well-defined trapezoidal enclosure with an internal mound at TM 0113 9903. It seems likely that this relates to a former medieval building and/or house platform, potentially a toft, with adjoining fields or crofts to the south. The majority of the ditches and platforms were visible as earthwork ditches in 1946 (S1-S2), however the traces of plough-levelled banks and additional possible platforms were visible on soilmarks on later photography (S2). One major boundary, showing as a hedgeline in 1946 (S1) and a broad bank and ditch soilmark in 1976 (S2) is partly depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map (1889 to 1891) (S3), but has been included within the mapping as it is integral to the other earthworks visible on the aerial photographs that pre-date the historic maps.
A series of marks in the adjoining field to the west in 1946 (S1) could feasibly represent a continuation of these boundaries, however comparison with marks in the another nearby field with similar vegetation would indicate that they relate to more recent activity associated with Rookery Farm.
S. Horlock (NMP), 24 July 2012.