NHER 54672 (Monument record) - Former earthworks of medieval to post medieval date

March 2012. Norfolk NMP.
The site of former earthworks and soilmarks of a probable medieval toft and raised causeway and/or a banked boundary of medieval to post medieval date are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S3) to the immediate south of ‘The Street’, Fundenhall Street, Ashwellthorpe. The site is centred on TM 1425 9613.
The earthworks, now plough levelled (S3), largely consisted of a broad low bank, most likely raised causeway, although it may also have performed a boundary function. This feature leads towards a large pond marked on the Ordnance Survey Second Edition map (S4), and may well have continued in use into the post medieval period. Although in 1964 (S1) it possibly appeared to continue westward, but as this was uncertain due to the presence of recent tracks, it was not mapped past the pond. A broad sunken linear feature, possibly an elongated pond or hollow way lies to the north of this bank. This is only visible to the eastern end of the bank, although it must be noted that the earthworks were much more pronounced towards the east of the site and were consequently much easier to identify and record. The area to the south of the bank also looks slightly sunken in 1964 (S1), but this was not mapped due to the uncertainty over the feature. It may be the result of scraping of material for the bank to the north. Adjoining ‘The Street’ itself is a pair of enclosures, one of which has a rectangular platform, 32m by 16m, within it (S1, S3). It seems likely that enclosures and platform relate to a medieval toft or land allotment alongside the road. Adjacent to this a number of medieval and post medieval pottery sherds have been recovered (NHER 23455).
S. Horlock (NMP), 07 March 2012.