NHER 57985 (Monument record) - Vegetation marks of undated ditches

August 2012.
Faint vegetation marks, which could possibly relate to an underlying ring ditch, may be visible on aerial photographs within the central part of Coltishall airfield (S1). The site is centred on TG 2682 2310. It must be stated that there is a high level of uncertainty over the origin and significance of these vegetation marks. The fact that these features appear to be showing as ditch-like features on grass within a recently active airfield means that further work would be needed to establish if these do relate to actual archaeological features. However vegetation marks with a similar appearance elsewhere in the airfield where found to relate to former medieval to post medieval boundary ditches depicted on historic maps, see NHER 57995 for discussion and it is therefore feasible that these marks also relate to underlying ditch-like features. If the apparent ring ditch is archaeological then it is possible that it represents a further example of the numerous ring ditches within this area, for example NHER 5788 & 36731. Although further survey work, for example geophysical survey would be required to establish if this is indeed an archaeological site.
S. Horlock (HES), 30 August 2012.